Abstract: Since the 18th and 19th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China, reform and the rule of law have become two key words in China's economic and social development. The Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made major decisions to comprehensively deepen reform, proposing that in the course of reforming administrative management system, social organizations should be completely de-administrated to make public administration efficient, ecological and scientific. The de-administration of sports associations in essence is to adapt to the trend of sports socialization and marketization and the key to de-administratation is that sports executive agencies “return rights” and “concess benefits”. By means of literature review, expert interview, historical research and logical analysis, this paper defines and thoroughly analyzes the connotation and characteristics of de-administration of sports associations. By reviewing the reform process of sports associations, and referring to the requirements of the Third Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the CPC on reform, this paper puts forward the path to de-administrate sports associations in China.

Key words: sports governance, sports association, de-administration