The unstoppable rise of athlete power in the Olympic system

ABSTRACT The last two decades have seen athletes in sports whose main competitions are not run by professional leagues demand better remuneration and a greater say in their national and international federations, especially with respect to the Olympic Games and other major competitions. This paper traces the history behind these demands (section 1) and describes the ways sport organizations have responded to them so far (section 2). It then presents current solutions, centered round the more-or-less representative groupings of athletes that have been created since the mid-20th century, and suggests a more innovative proposal that would require federations to change their legal form (section 3).