Abstract
The main purpose of the article is to study, compare and identify the main features and factors that influenced the development of non-Olympic sports in the period of modern and contemporary history, as well as to identify the formation of the autonomy of non-Olympic sports in the international sports movement. It has been established that during the period of modern history, sport in its development had a «chaotic» character. The development of non-Olympic sports in the period of contemporary history took place in two stages: Stage I 1918–1979 – characterized by an intensive development of non-Olympic sports in the system of the international sports movement, Stage II 1980 – present – is associated with the confrontation and recognition of nonOlympic sports of the international sports movement. The main prerequisites are: scientific and technological progress, organizational and legal, political, scientific and educational, social component. The main factors are: the development of industry, production, the cultural component, the industrialization of society, economic growth, significant achievements in science and technology, the development of the sports industry, a biological need for physical activity, the transformation of physical activity into sports, improving the quality of life, the creation of sports organizations, the formation of an institutional environment, the development of the scientific sphere and the information field, the manifestation of national identity in sports, etc.