As Many Countries, as Many Customs: Sports Financing Solutions in the European Union Through the Examples of Hungary, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Germany
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Abstract
This study presents the specific characteristics of sports financing in the European Union through the example of four member states – Hungary, the Czech Republic, Germany, and the Netherlands. The research highlights the shaping influence of the differing historical, social, and economic backgrounds between Western and Eastern member states, which significantly affect the current organizational and financial structures of their sports systems. The study reveals that in Hungary and the Czech Republic, state involvement is dominant, while in Germany and the Netherlands, civil organizations and the private sector are the main driving forces of sports life. Secondary research methods were used for the statistical analysis. We examined sport-related expenditures as a percentage of GDP, spending relative to citizens’ average purchasing power, as well as the number and gender distribution of those employed in the sports sector. The results of the research emphasize that EU sports policy, through the principle of subsidiarity, allows room for member state specificities. Naturally, strengthening the social and economic role of sports requires improving the population's attitude toward physical activity.
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