Public Funding of Rugby Through Budgetary, Extrabudgetary, and Indirect Sources

Abstract

The study describes the public funding of rugby in Brazil through budgetary, extra-budgetary, and indirect sources, observing the impact of these resources on the development of the sport. The research, which is descriptive and quantitative in nature, is based on documentary data from 2002 to 2024, covering programs such as the Bolsa-Atleta, the Agnelo-Piva Law, and the Lei de Incentivo ao Esporte (LIE). Since rugby's inclusion in the Olympic program in 2016, it has received increased financial support, particularly through calls for Olympic sports. For instance, the Athlete Scholarship program allocated R$40.2 million to athletes between 2005 and 2024, with R$27.258 million specifically for national categories. The Brazilian Rugby Confederation (CBRu) received R$34.4 million from 2010 to 2023, while the LIE transferred R$50.2 million to 53 projects primarily aimed at high performance. The study highlights the importance of these resources for the growth of rugby but also points out challenges, such as the concentration of investments in high-performance categories compared to grassroots and educational categories. It concludes that public funding is crucial for sports development but emphasizes the need for a more balanced distribution of resources.