The course aims to provide an overview of transnational, national, regional, and local entities that represent various forms of sports governance and how they interact with civil institutions. A portion of the course will be dedicated to analyzing, both historically and in the present day, sport as a tool of diplomacy and soft power.
The objective of the course is to provide specific knowledge about the origins, history, and competencies of the aforementioned organizations (in relation to transnational, national, and territorial jurisdictions), their evolution, and their role throughout the history of sports and politics in the 20th and 21st centuries.
Students will engage in the knowledge, analysis, and detailed study of policies that have shaped and continue to shape major changes in international and national sports, both at the elite and grassroots levels. In particular, the course will explore recent legislative changes affecting Italian sports, such as the amendment to Article 33 of the Constitution and the enactment of the sports labor reform law.
The course consists of lectures delivered by the professor.
Mapping transnational sports institutions (IOC – International Sports Federations)
Mapping national sports institutions (both sports-specific and civil institutions with sports-related competencies)
Sports Promotion Entities: roles, functions, specificities, overlaps, and conflicts between EPS (Sports Promotion Entities) and FSN (National Sports Federations)
The institution of "Sport e Salute": funding for FSN, EPS, and sporting events
ICSC (Cultural Sports Credit Institute): characteristics and functions—how a public bank can support sports promotion
Recent implementation of the sports labor reform law
Harassment and abuse in sports: application of laws and regulations for protection in the sports sector (safeguarding)
Role, function, and specificity of sports justice
New constitutional framework: Article 33
Bolkenstein Directive (EU free movement of services) and exemptions for ASD/SSD (Amateur and Sports Societies) on coastal areas
CJEU ruling – Diarra case: free movement of workers and its impact on FIFA transfer regulations; safeguarding tournament integrity and workers' rights
Major sporting events and concerns related to crime and terrorism
Constitutional reform and division of competencies post-2001: Article 117 (State – Regions – Municipalities) and Article 118 (subsidiarity)
Liguria Region Sports Law No. 40/2009
State-City/ANCI Conference: examples of project funding
The diplomatic role of sports: sport as soft power
Geopolitics of the Olympic medal table
Major Olympic sport boycotts
Required Readings
Bastianon, Stefano & Del Bò, Corrado (2023), La neutralità dello sport, Carocci Editore
Pescante, Mario & Mei, Riccardo (2018), Politica e diplomazia dello sport, Eurilink University Press
Additional Readings
Additional texts or parts of them will be indicated during the lessons.
MAURO BERRUTO (President)
SALVATORE BRUNO BARBA (President Substitute)
GIORGIO SANDULLI (President Substitute)
The timetable for this course is available here: EasyAcademy
