This book analyses the levels of influence that the European Union (EU) has over sport governing bodies (SGBs). Contrasting with the US authorities' decisive action, the EU seemed largely absent from the 2015 FIFA corruption saga. Even though the EU has established itself as an actor in its own right in international sports governance, there is still a lack of clarity over its capabilities to control SGBs. By employing a triangular principal-agent model, and by focusing on the case of EU control of FIFA and UEFA, the author demonstrates that the EU holds significant opportunities to control SGBs through both law and policy. There are, however, important limits as well. EU institutional features complicate control, but do not render the EU powerless. Most importantly, though, SGBs can deploy a variety of strategies to mitigate control. In considering these strategies and their effects on the EU's influence, this book provides an informed analysis that will particularly appeal to students and scholars of the EU, sports organizations, and global governance.

Autorentext
Arnout Geeraert is Post-Doctoral Fellow at Leuven International and European Studies (LINES), University of Leuven, Belgium. He is governance advisor to Play the Game/ Danish Institute for Sports Studies. His current work explores the role of the European Union in international sport through different theoretical lenses and looks into elements of good governance in sport organisations in general.

Zusammenfassung

This book demonstrates that the European Union (EU) can curtail the autonomy of FIFA and UEFA by building upon insights from the principal-agent model. The author argues that EU institutional features complicate control, but do not render the EU powerless, and that FIFA and UEFA can deploy a variety of strategies to mitigate control.

Inhalt

1. Introduction
2. The EU's Engagement with FIFA and UEFA: Principals, Agents and Supervisors
3. Representation and Control in the Governance of European Football
4. The EU Law Route
5. The EU Sports Policy Route
6. The Limits of EU Control
7. Conclusion