Idrottsrörelsens interna kamp mellan föreningsdemokrati och kommersialisering : En undersökning av 51-procentsregeln i den svenska idrottsrörelsen under åren 1997-2013.

Sammanfattning: The aim of this study is to investigate the debate surrounding increasing commercial development in Swedish sports during the years 1997 until 2013. The main target is to identify the different arguments inside of the Swedish National Sports Association (RF) and how the 51-percent rule has impacted democracy in Swedish sports. The source material are protocols from the General Assembly in RF, RF-stämman and the RF board meetings, Riksidrottsstyrelsen. The material also includes the two investigations leading up to the main decisions being made in 1999 and 2013. The arguments were analyzed based on three logics; democratic, commercial and competitive as well as the ideal type föreningsdemokrati. As earlier publications have proved, competitive goals have pushed the commercialization forward, on behalf of democracy. The arguments in our result reflect that, as the main arguments for a commercialization of sports is to improve finances. The arguments against it want to protect the democratic tradition that Swedish sports is based upon. The result of the study shows that there are several nuanced layers to the debate. Finally the study confirms that the democratic traditions in Swedish sports have partly been devalued as a result of the 51-percent rule.