Public governance system of physical education and sport in Ukraine: structural-functional analysis and institutional mechanisms

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to conduct a structural and functional analysis of the public governance system in the field of physical education and sport in Ukraine and to substantiate the institutional mechanisms of its functioning under contemporary socio-economic conditions. Methods. The study employs the following methods: theoretical analysis and synthesis; generalisation; and the structural-functional method. The empirical basis of the research includes нормативно-legal acts and policy documents, primarily the Strategy for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport until 2028, as well as educational and methodological sources on management in the field of physical education and sport. Results. The field of physical education and sport is considered as an open social subsystem of society characterised by dynamism, hierarchy, and structural complexity. It is demonstrated that these systemic properties necessitate multi-level governance and a clear division of competences between state authorities and local self-government bodies. An approach is generalised according to which governance in Ukraine comprises three interacting subsystems: state governance, governance of civic physical culture and sport organisations, and governance within entrepreneurial sport and fitness organisations. It is substantiated that the effectiveness of public governance is determined by the quality of institutional design (legal regulation, programme-based instruments, financial and human resource mechanisms), as well as by the system's ability to adapt to socio-economic and security challenges. Based on the analysis of the Strategy for the Development of Physical Culture and Sport until 2028, the key priorities of governance influence are identified: expansion of regular physical activity among the population, development of elite sport, modernisation of sports infrastructure, digital transformation of governance, and improvement of workforce quality. An interpretative model of interaction among the actors of the public governance system is proposed, in which public authorities perform the functions of regulating service quality, stimulating demand, and supporting the supply of physical culture and health-related programmes, thereby ensuring accessibility, inclusiveness, and safety of lifelong physical activity practices. Conclusions. The effectiveness of public governance in the field of physical education and sport in Ukraine is determined by the coherence of institutional mechanisms, intersectoral interaction, and the system's ability to adapt to contemporary social challenges.