services & publications: Sports Money for Sport

The publication 'Sports Money for Sport' was prepared in April 2004 for the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB), the world governing body for volleyball and beach volleyball - with 218 affiliated national federations and 35 million registered players.

There has been coverage in the media of a new principle proposed by the International Olympic Committee's Ethics Commission that "sports money should go to sport."

Some in the IOC have tried to use this principle to criticise the FIVB - one of the richest international sports federations - for allowing its Members to charge a commission of up to 10% on new sources of finance that they find for the sport.

The FIVB  President, Dr Ruben Acosta, emphasises that his federation is a good example of the principle, spending each year over 80% of the substantial funds that they raise through television and marketing contracts to develop and fund the Olympic sports of Volleyball and Beach Volleyball for the benefit of its many players, officials and supporters.

Dr Ruben Acosta tells the FIVB's World Congress that the federation is a good example of the IOC's principle that "sports money should go to sport"
The FIVB President Dr Ruben Acosta at the 2004 FIVB World Congress

The FIVB's then General Manager spells out plans for the future success of volleyball and beach volleyball, and an independent expert looks at the different ways that sports federations fund their activities.

Unlike most other international sports federations, the FIVB has for many years preferred not to use marketing agencies to find and negotiate new sources of finance from sponsorship and marketing contracts - for which the agencies generally charge commissions of between 25% and 40%. Furthermore the FIVB publication openly and transparently states the commissions paid and forecasted to be paid - so as to show the net totals budgeted to go to sport.

Sports Money for Sport (pdf 1.7 mb) ¦ FIVB website

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