Regulatory inertia in sports confederations: the impact of statutory omission on the performance of athletes' commissions

Introduction: Recent concerns regarding sports management have driven the pursuit of more democratic processes, aiming for greater transparency and the active participation of athletes in decisions that directly affect them. Objective: This study aimed to analyze the main characteristics of the electoral process of athletes’ committees in Brazilian Olympic sports confederations, assessing the degree of institutionalization and effectiveness of this representation in light of democratic governance. Methodology: The research was conducted through a qualitative documentary analysis involving the bylaws and internal regulations of the 34 confederations linked to the Brazilian Olympic Committee. Four indicators were defined for analysis: committee competence, term of office, possibility of reappointment, and voting method. Results: The findings indicate a significant lack of regulation: only 29.41% of the confederations formally describe the committees’ competences. Discussion: A lack of succession planning and gaps in the regulation of athletes’ participation were also observed, which weakens their deliberative role and consolidates a predominantly symbolic representation model. Conclusions: The analysis of the electoral process for athlete representation in Brazilian sports confederations revealed a lack of clear regulation regarding their competencies, requiring greater transparency, strategic planning, and training for effective democratic governance.