Running a sports body has become increasingly onerous. Many sporting entities have become companies and now need to abide by the Companies Act. All entities funded by Sport Ireland must comply with a code of governance, adopted by Sport Ireland, by the end of 2021. In recent years, the sporting world has been rocked by controversies both internationally and here in Ireland, which have had significant repercussions. It is now more essential than ever that all sporting entities, big and small, need to focus on good governance.
Sports Governance: A Guide for Sporting Entities is designed to help board or committee members to understand and address governance issues. The book focuses on three main areas: firstly, an introduction to governance, with a specific look at the governance code for sporting entities and the need for governance; secondly, becoming a board member and the considerations taken by both the person and the organisation before taking on the responsibility; and thirdly the key functions of a board – strategy, risk, accountability, and monitoring. Each chapter ends with essential points for the smaller sporting entity and the club, as well as ten key points.
Sports Governance: A Guide for Sporting Entities is essential reading for anyone involved in running a sporting body, large or small. It will also be of interest to policymakers and auditors. It is available from www.orpenpress.com and all good bookshops for €20.
Anne McFarland is a chartered accountant with a Diploma from UCD in Corporate Governance and a Diploma from the Law Society in Sports Law. She has been a finance director of multinational organisations for many years; she lectures on corporate governance and enjoys working with sporting entities, big and small, to develop strategy and improve governance. This book draws on her practical experience as a board member and as an advisor on governance, as well as her interest in sport, both amateur and professional. She is co-author of A Practical Guide for Company Directors (Chartered Accountants Ireland, 2017).
