Public Funding and Elite Success in Czech Team Sports: A Penalized Logistic Regression Approach
Public Funding and Elite Success in Czech Team Sports: A Penalized Logistic Regression Approach

Summary/Abstract: International sporting success is widely regarded as a symbol of national prestige and effectiveness in sport policy, motivating many countries to allocate significant public funding to elite and youth sport programs. However, the direct impact of such investments on competitive outcomes remains ambiguous, particularly in the context of team sports where success is infrequent and influenced by multiple factors. This study examines the relationship between public funding and international sporting success in the Czech Republic, focusing on four major team sports: football, basketball, ice hockey, and volleyball. Using a panel dataset aggregated across Olympic cycles (2010–2013, 2014–2017, and 2018–2022) and applying a penalized logistic regression model, we assess whether higher investments in national representation and youth development increase the probability of achieving top 8 placements at major international tournaments. This study aims to evaluate the extent to which public funding for national representation and youth development contributes to elite sporting success, measured by top 8 placements in international competitions. The analysis reveals that, despite considerable financial support, neither national representation nor youth development funding demonstrates a positive association with elite success. These findings raise critical questions regarding the design and strategic targeting of public investment policies in sport and contribute to the broader discourse on the efficiency of resource allocation in sport systems.

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