The law is designed to create the necessary legal and institutional framework for the development of sports at the highest levels as well as training and physical education more generally.
The law regulates the division of powers among the federal, regional and local authorities in the field of physical culture and sports (including questions of financing sport), the order of creation and legal status of physical education organizations, the Russian Olympic, Paralympic and Deaf Olympic Committees, and the Russian Special Olympics, the formation of the Russian teams, and the development of military- and employment-related types of sport. The federal law defines the concept of professional sports, but also for the first time sets out measures against doping in sport, the rules on the recognition of sports and sports disciplines, and how to develop rules of sports.