Permanent Secretariat

Tel: +34 93 553 89 58

sportcountries@gencat.cat

© Generalitat de Catalunya 2008

Jela LABUDOVA, Slovak Union of Physical Education, Sport and Recreation

After the political changes in 1989 a process of democratisation of sports organisations and structures resulting in decentralisation began. The base for the new ways was laid out in the 1990 National Council of the Slovak republic law on Physical Culture. There was define the responsibilities of individual organisations and state authorities in sport . In 1997 this law was approved and also included articles on educational and commercial activity in sport. Today organisation principles are characterised by the partnership between governmental and non governmental organisations at all levels. The central authority of state administration responsible for sport is the Slovak Ministry of education sports department. The main responsibilities of it include the support of all national teams, international co-operation, sports legislation co-operation with non governmental organisations and nation-wide issues on sport for all, providing grants to sports associations from the state budget. Since 2002 competences in accordance with the Slovak decentralisation policy have consistently been transferred to regional and local self administration in the fields of sport for all, sport facilities, school sport, and partly in the training of talented youth.

The advantages of sport transformation were: expanded the number of kind of sports, opened international connections, began the operation of fitness centres, private sector clubs, etc.

The disadvantages were: built many clubs, sport organisations, difficulties with activity co-operation and co-ordination, a lack of financial support, a lack and difficulties with sponsorships, dissolution of systematic care of talented youth and many sport clubs for youth, slackened the construction and remodelling of sport facilities, etc.