factors affecting participation

• What are barriers to sport for women?

  • Male dominated sport
  • Less media coverage of female sports - less role models
  • Less support from peers and families
  • Facilities for women are less developed
  • Media coverage for female athletes is focused on marraige, kids etc not SPORT
• What are barriers to sport for different ethnicitys?

  • Racism
  • Different cultures compete in different sports - ie india cricket and England football
  • Some religions require all skin to be covered - provides limitations
• Ethnicity in elite level sport

  • There is an uneven representation of different ethnicities at elite level sport
  • 70% of England football team is white brits
• What are barriers to sport for different ages?

  • As people get older, participatoin drops especially after leaving school
• Why might older people not do sport?

  • Fear of injury
  • Restriction of physical fitness
  • Most athlete role models are young and active
  • Less available time
  • Less disposable income
• What are barriers to sport for lower socio-economic groups?

  • Lower disposable income - can't pay for transport, memberships, equipment
  • Lack of time - may always be working
  • You can still acess sports like football - all you need is boots and a ball (unlike something like rowing or golf)
• How do family and friends affect participation?

  • Can be a huge positive or negative influence
  • Unlikely to reach top level without family support - money needed to pay for kit, equipment - need them to drive you everywhere
  • Friends can be a bad influence by discouraging you to participate to hang out
• What are barriers to sport for people with disabilities?

  • Can impact ability to participate
  • 17% of disabilities are so severe that you can't even participate
  • May not be able to access facility - no ramps or disabled spaces
• What are the different types of disabilities?

  • Mobility impairments - ie paralyzed
  • Sensory impairments - ie blind
  • Mental impairments - ie learning disability's
• How can we adapt sports for disabilities?

  • Less stereotypes to reduce discrimination
  • range of opportunities through specific design programmes - ie blind football - the ball has a loud bell in it
• How can attitudes affect participation in sport?

  • Generally learned from family and friends
  • can learn positive or negative attitudes about exercise
  • Attitudes are long lasting but require facts and convincing to change opinions on participation
• Role Models 


  • huge influence on people's attitudes and participation
  • Influence the way we behave
  • Influence personal behaviour
• How can lack of accessibility affect participation in sport?

  • Sports like skiing require specific conditions which can discourage people from participating as they can be hard to- reach
  • Some sports may simply be too expensive, lowering the participation
• How does sexism affect particiption?

  • Seperates men and women
  • More men play than women as it is more socially encouraged