Running the club for love: Challenges for identity, accountability and governance relationships

The current context of State sport governance and funding structures in the United Kingdom continue to challenge national, regional and local bodies and community clubs’ abilities to fulfil ambitions to support participation and competition at all levels. Notwithstanding sport clubs’ laudable intentions to support involvement and encourage participation (often with limited resources, guidance and communication from National Governing Bodies (NGB)), clubs face considerable practical, political and ideological constraints that adversely affect their day-to-day operations and ability to translate sport policy in ‘action’ in meaningful ways. Drawing on data from 21 athletic clubs in England, this paper examines how athletic clubs’ relations with the NGB, UK Athletics (UKA), raise questions about the clubs’ individual and collective identities, agendas, ideals and overall value to its members.