Governance relates to the constitution and administration of organisations, the process of making and implementing decisions by stakeholders, and the ways in which people are treated. Well-designed structures of governance can have a powerful impact on the performance and credibility of sports organisations. Important features are effective accountability, transparent institutions, responsiveness, and inclusive procedures at all levels (SDG 16.6), including internal operations, athlete oversight, and events governance.
Good governance is increasingly recognised as a critical feature of effective, equitable and ethical sports organisations. Women, in particular, are often under-represented in leadership positions within sports organisations while it is recognised that they contribute to significant improvements of these organisations’ governance. An important feature of good governance, therefore, is to challenge these inequalities (SDG 5.5).