It is well known that we find ourselves in a post-industrial society, post-modern for some, in which sport and leisure play a central role.

Sport, as a distinctive phenomenon of existing mass societies, hides behind its apparent simplicity an enormous social, cultural, economic, and political significance and complexity. It brings with it an ever stronger importance within the wide framework of leisure and free time. Its apparent simplicity comes from the fact that sport language and symbolism, based on the moving human body in search of noticeable results, health, well-being, socialization, training, and education are accessible to all people, regardless of their social and cultural level, which justifies its universality and democratic nature.

The increase of leisure time of the Basque population, which brings with it a growing social demand for free and associated sport practice, as well as for sport installations and equipment, is a fact which Basque public and private sport organizations should take into account. Their actions in this area should be rigorous and professionally managed, so that greater well-being and quality of life can be achieved through sport administrators’ best practices.

Because citizens have taken consciousness of the benefits that practicing sport can bring, and because any sector of the population, which now has a longer life span, can now practice sport, sport has evolved in all of areas such as recreation, leisure, health, adventure/nature, spectacle, etc. But for this to fully happen it has to open itself to all those sciences that can develop and perfect it, and through which important tools for the administration of sport can be provided.

At any rate, sport has been, and is, as a method of physical, psychological, intellectual, and social training, a clear manifestation of human civilization and cooperation of any population. It is also a faithful reflection of the state of the society where it takes place, and of individual and collective charisma for the enjoyment of those that practice, follow, or promote it.

The Basque Country has always served as an example and model, standing out both for its sport plurality as well as for the recognition of those sports that are its own due to its maritime vocation and tradition, its appreciation of the value of the collective (the team), and its connection with water.

Cradle of swimmers, rowers, and surfers, of football players, athletes, and mountain climbers, of Basque pelota players, gymnasts, and cyclists. Nobody is surprised by its adaptation to indoor sports (handball, water polo,…) to the full use of sport centers wherever they exist, and the enjoyment of open air spaces such as parks, mountains, beaches, and roads.

The definition of Sport and its basic features and elements has given place to multiple interpretations. Accordingly, some authors emphasize the effort of the human being to achieve notable results and to perfect themselves. Others have emphasized other elements such as the capacity of the human being to compete and the need of achievement that takes them to adopt new goals. In sum, the word “sport” has many meanings since it refers to variable and complex social realities.

But in reality, and without wishing to limit the sport act to a partial definition, one can say that sport means, in essence, an ethical training, an aesthetic phenomenon, the expression of a competitive and leisure society model, an escape valve for aggression and loneliness, a guarantee to educate in positive values, a fair play… a great resource to avoid alienation.

Even so, to define with general acceptance what sport consists in and represents is difficult, either as anthropological/cultural reality or as social reality. It will become ever more complex, since sport changes constantly and expands its meaning, referring to an attitude and human activity, as well as encompassing a very complex social reality. But whatever its utility and function be, what is true is that the human beings have always needed to play and enjoy themselves ... but they have followed this directive without troubling to study it. The development of contemporary sport on the one hand, and science on the other, have completely transformed this landscape, giving place to various scientific disciplines that have taken an interest in investigating sport.