Our History

The Scottish Sports Association was established as a consultative body to The Scottish Sports Council (now trading as sportscotland) in terms of Article 6 of its Royal Charter, which was enacted in 1971.

This charter legally required the council to invite national sports organisations to form a representative and consultative body. Following a period of coordination among these governing bodies, the SSA was formally established in 1982 to fulfill that role.

The SSA operated as an unincorporated association for its first two decades, before transitioning to a Company Limited by Guarantee in November 2003 (Company No. SC259206).

The organisation has acted as an independent membership and advocacy body in the decades since its establishment, offering a unique role as a consultative body and as a critical friend to the Scottish Government and the national agency for sport.

While the organisational structure and funding arrangements have changed over the years, the central role of the SSA remains the same - to champion and support Scottish governing bodies of sport and to collectively influence the policy and operating environment to help empower a healthy and active nation.