ABSTRACT
Sport governance exists in many different forms and guises, in different codes and within different nations around the world. There are a number of instances where similar, if not identical, governing structures exist in various nations; the federal model of governance is one of those. Federation refers to the delegation of power and authority from a central (national) authority to various regions usually within a bounded geographical context. In Australia, for example, federation exists as a direct result of British colonisation. Unsurprisingly, the evolution of sport governance in nations that have adopted federal political models reflects the systems and ideologies of federation. As sport has entered a new era of growth of commercialisation and professionalisation, the federal model has come under strain with many codes experiencing issues relating to distrust and conflict within their networks.
