Abstract

Summary Within the health-related promotion of physical activity forms of sport activities are not seen as a necessary option. In this paper, this position is compared with the perspective of the sport system on sport as medium of health promotion. Within a systems theoretical framework, the German Olympic Sports Confederation and German Health Ministry programmes are analysed and contrasted. The documents reveal different perspectives on sport as a medium of health promotion. Moreover, different systemic logics lead to communications which often aim to protect organisational meanings and competences from the external interference of other systems. In this context, the health system's logic appears to be more dominant. This may lead to an evolution of sport system programmes that is shaped by reacting to the operations of the health system.