The primary function of sports think tanks is to participate in sports decision-making and influence sports policies. In the context of accelerating the construction of a sports power, it is of great significance to quickly and positively respond to the major theoretical and practical issues in the reform, innovation and development of sports, play the role of sports think tanks as think tanks, and enhance the policy influence of sports think tanks. Based on the governance perspective, this paper discusses the historical development process, logic and effective path of sports think tanks" policy participation by using historical analysis and combining policy texts and practice. Sports think tanks serve sports decision-making with the participation logic of "knowing and doing cycle". It is important to strengthen the talent construction of sports think tanks and enhancing the ability to participate in policy decision-making,build a new interdisciplinary paradigm for sports policy research and enhance the influence of think tank services, improve the governance system of sports think tanks and optimize the environment for participating in policy decisions.