Multilevel leadership within the Swiss elite sports system: The involvement of alpine skiing elite athletes in national-level policy-making

This chapter discusses the involvement of Alpine skiing elite athletes in national-level policymaking. The Swiss Olympic Association, together with the National Sports Associations (NSAs), is responsible for elite sport. The Federal Office of Sport mostly supports sport for children and young athletes. Elite sport development is driven by the private sector. Professional athletes, clubs and commercialised NSAs finance themselves primarily through sponsorship and television contracts, as well as membership fees. Alpine skiing is the country’s most successful sport and has an elaborate system for coach education, training and support. Leadership across different levels reflects the overall political culture where lower levels have an active and strong voice.