Recognition of new governing bodies or sport disciplines

What is a sport?

The Sports Councils do not decide what is and what is not a sport.

There are many different opinions as to what constitutes a sporting activity and the sports councils do not have their own definition of sport. However, we operate a recognition process to establish which sports we may consider working with.

When deciding whether to recognise a sport, the sports councils look to see if it meets the Council of Europe's European Sports Charter 1993 definition of sport and if the sport is well established and organised within our jurisdiction.

What is a National Governing Body?

It is not the role of the Sports Councils to establish or appoint national governing bodies. National governing bodies are typically independent, self-appointed organisations that govern their sports through the common consent of their sport.

The aim of the recognition process is to identify a single lead national governing body structure which governs a sport at UK, GB or home country level. Our recognition criteria focus on establishing if a national governing body has achieved a position of pre-eminence within its sport and if it has a reasonable level of organisation and governance. 

Sports council recognition of a national governing body is not a guarantee of funding and neither does it mean we have approved or accredited the quality of its programmes.

Recognition does not bestow any official powers on a national governing body to govern its sport nor does it guarantee direct financing of the established governing body.

Which sports and governing bodies do we currently recognise?

The sports and governing bodies currently recognised by the Sports Council’s in the UK can be found here.  

Also, in interest of safety, groups taking part in the following sports high risk sports must be affiliated to their sport’s governing body in order to be considered for grant support.

Recognised Sports and National Governing Bodies (NGBs) – Wales & UK

Aikido

• British Aikido Board

Air Sports

• Flying – Royal Aero Club of the UK
• Aerobatic Flying – British Aerobatic Association
• Aero Model Flying – British Model Flying Association
• Ballooning – British Balloon and Airship Club
• Gliding – British Gliding Association
• Hang / Paragliding – British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association
• Microlight – British Microlight Aircraft Association
• Parachuting – British Skydiving
• Popular Flying – Light Aircraft Association

American Football

• British American Football Association

Angling

Federating, Coarse, Game, Sea

• Angling Cymru

Archery

Field, Target

• Welsh Archery Association
• Archery GB

Arm Wrestling

Athletics

Cross Country, Mountain/Fell, Road, Track and Field

• Welsh Athletics
• UK Athletics

Australian Rules Football

Badminton

• Badminton Wales

Baseball

• Welsh Baseball Union
• British Baseball Federation

Basketball

• Basketball Wales

Baton Twirling

Biathlon

• British Biathlon Union

Bobsleigh

• British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association

Boccia

• Boccia UK

Bowls

• Crown - Bowls Wales, British Crown Green Bowling Association
• Federation – Bowls Wales, British Isles Bowls Council, British Isles Women’s Bowls Council, British Isles Women’s Indoor Bowls Council, British Isles Indoor Bowls Council.
• Short Mat – Bowls Wales

Boxing

• Welsh Boxing
• GB Boxing

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

• UK Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Association

Camogie

Canoeing

Freestyle, Marathon, Open Canoeing, Polo, Sea Kayaking, Slalom, Sprint, Surf Kayak, Wild Water Racing, Stand Up Paddleboarding

• Canoe Wales
• Paddle UK (formerly British Canoeing)

Caving

Cave Diving, Pot Holing, Mine Exploration

• Cambrian Caving Council
• British Caving Council

Cheerleading

• SportCheer Wales

Chinese Martial Arts

Bagua, Chinese Boxing, Eagle Claw, Freestyle, Hsing Yi, Kung Fu, Lau Gar, Lion Dance, Modern Wushu, Praying Mantis, Qigong, Qingda, Sanshou, Shaolin (Northern/Southern), Tai Chi, Taijiquan, Tiger Crane, Traditional Wushu, White Crane, Wing Chun.

• British Council for Chinese Martial Arts

Cricket

• Cricket Wales

Croquet

Curling

• Welsh Curling Association
• British Curling Ltd

Cycling

Road, Track, BMX, Downhill, Mountain Biking, Cyclo Cross, Cycle Speedway

• Beicio Cymru
• British Cycling

Dance

Ballroom, Latin, Highland Dance, Scottish Country, Folk Dance

• Dancesport Wales

Darts

Disability Sport

• Disability Sport Wales
• British Blind Sport
• Cerebral Palsy Sport
• UK Deaf Sport
• United Kingdom Sports Association for People with Learning Disability
• British Amputee and Les Autres Sports Association
• British Paralympic Association
• WheelPower

Dodgeball

Dragon Boat Racing

• British Dragon Boat Racing Association

Equestrian

Horse and Pony Riding, Dressage, Carriage Driving, Endurance, Vaulting, Show Jumping, Harness Racing, Polocrosse, Eventing, Reigning, Mounted Games, Horseball

• British Equestrian Federation

Horse Racing

• British Horse Racing Authority

Exercise and Fitness

Keep Fit, Laban Movement, Medau, Margaret Morris Movement

Fencing

• Welsh Fencing
• British Fencing

Fives

Eton, Rugby

Floorball

Football

Futsal

• Football Association of Wales

Gaelic Games

Handball, Football, Hurling

Goalball

• Goalball UK

Golf

• Wales Golf

Gymnastics

Artistic, Rhythmic, Team Gym, Acrobatics, Aerobic, Trampoline & DMT, Tumbling

• Welsh Gymnastics
• British Gymnastics

Handball

Olympic

• British Handball

Hovercraft Racing

• Hovercraft Club of Great Britain Limited

Ice Hockey

• Ice Hockey UK

Ice Skating

Short Track, Figure, Synchronised

• Ice Skate Wales
• British Ice Skating

Judo

• Welsh Judo Association
• British Judo Association

Ju-Jitsu

• British Ju Jitsu Association Governing Body

Kabbadi

Karate

• Welsh Karate Governing Body
• British Karate Federation

Kendo

Iaido, Jodo

• British Kendo Association

Kickboxing

• Kickboxing GB (formally WAKO GB)

Kite Surfing

• British Kite Sports Association

Korfball

• Welsh Korfball Association

Lacrosse

• Wales Lacrosse

Life Saving

• Royal Life Saving Society UK

Luge

• Great Britain Luge Association

Modern Pentathlon

• Pentathlon GB

Motor Cycling

Road Racing, Trials, Enduro, Motorcross, Track Racing, Super Moto, Drag/Sprint, Speedway, Rallying, Sidecar Racing, Hill Climbing

• Welsh Motorcycle Federation
• Auto-Cycle Union

Motor Sports

Autotests, Autosolo, Autocross, Circuit Racing, Cross Country, Hill Climbing, Karting, Rallycross, Rallying, Sprints, Time Attack, Trials

• Welsh Association of Motor Clubs
• Motorsport UK

Mountaineering

Indoor Climbing, Outdoor Climbing, Hill Walking, Mountaineering

• British Mountaineering Council

Netball

• Wales Netball

Octopush (Underwater Hockey)

Orienteering

• Welsh Orienteering
• British Orienteering

Parkour

• Parkour UK

Petanque

Pickleball

Polo

• Hurlingham Polo Association

Pool

• Welsh Pool Association

Quoits

Powerlifting

• British Powerlifting

Rambling

• Ramblers
• Long Distance Walking - Long Distance Walkers Association

Real Tennis

• Tennis & Rackets Association

Roller Sports

Speed, Inline Hockey, Artistic, Skater Hockey, Freestyle, Roller Hockey, Roller Derby

• British Roller Sports Federation

Rounders

Rowing

• Welsh Rowing
• British Rowing

Rugby League

Touch

• Wales Rugby League
• Rugby Football League

Rugby Union

Tag, Sevens, Touch

• Welsh Rugby Union

Sailing

Sailing, Windsurfing, Inland Boating

• RYA Cymru Wales
• Royal Yachting Association

RYA governs recreational use but not competitive racing of Personal Watercraft, Motor Cruising, Sportsboats, and Powerboating.

Sand & Land Yachting

Shinty

Shooting

Clay Target, Pistol, Small-bore Rifle, Muzzle Loaders

• Welsh Target Shooting Federation
• British Shooting

Skateboarding

Skeleton

• British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association

Skipping

Snooker and Billiards

• Welsh Billiards and Snooker Association

Snowsport

Skiing, Snowboarding, Telemark

• Snowsport Cymru Wales

Softball

• British Softball Federation

Sombo

• British Sombo Federation

Squash

Squash, Squash 57

• Wales Squash and Racketball

Stoolball

Sub Aqua

• British Sub Aqua Club

Surfing

Short Board, Kneeboard, Long Board, Body Board, Skim Board, Body Surf

• Welsh Surfing Federation

Surf Life Saving

• Surf Life Saving Association Wales
• Surf Life Saving GB

Swimming

Swimming, Diving, Artistic Swimming, Water Polo, Open Water

• Swim Wales
• British Long Distance Swimming Association

Table Tennis

• Table Tennis Wales

Taekwondo

• British Taekwondo Council

Tang Soo Do

• United Kingdom Tang Soo Do Federation

Tennis

Tennis, Padel Tennis

• Tennis Wales
• Lawn Tennis Association

Tenpin Bowling

• Tenpin Bowling Association of Wales

Touch Rugby

• Wales Rugby League
• Welsh Rugby Union

Triathlon

• Welsh Triathlon
• British Triathlon

Tug of War

• Welsh Tug of War Association

Ultimate

• UK Ultimate

Volleyball

• Volleyball Wales
• British Volleyball Federation

Water Skiing

Barefoot, Cable Ski, Kneeboard, Racing, Tournament, Wakeboarding

• Welsh Water Ski Association
• British Water Ski & Wakeboard

Weightlifting

Weightlifting, Olympic, Para, Powerlifting

• Weightlifting Wales
• British Weightlifting

Wheelchair Basketball

• British Wheelchair Basketball

Wheelchair Rugby

• Great Britain Wheelchair Rugby

Wrestling

Olympic Freestyle

• Welsh Wrestling Association
• British Wrestling Association

Yoga

• British Wheel of Yoga