When the International Olympic Committee (IOC) set up its headquarters
in Lausanne, in 1915, it could not have imagined the
impact its decision would have on the administration of world
sport. Three-quarters of Olympic sport’s world governing bodies
have now followed the IOC’s lead and based themselves in
Switzerland, thereby making the country the hub of global sport
administration. The process that gave rise to this situation can be
divided into seven main stages. It was driven by a number of key
figures, including IOC and international sport federation presidents
and general secretaries, and facilitated by the attractive
legal, economic, and socio-political environment sport organizations
find in Switzerland. This process is on-going and continues
to influence the world sports market.