Survey: Latest sports participation figures revealed

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A strong growth in running and cycling was apparent when new participation figures came out from Sport England. The figures also show a worrying decline in other major sports such as football and swimming.

Overall, the slow but steady increase in participation numbers now see people taking part in sport at least three times a week. A new survey shows that regular participation is now closer to the Government’s aim to get one million people playing more sport by 2012/13.

Netball’s participant numbers are up by over a fifth in two years. Much of this success comes from the Back to Netball programme, which tempts women to return to the sport with a fun and flexible offer.

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England Netball’s Chief Executive, Paul Clark, said: “England Netball are immensely proud of the success of our Back to Netball scheme. The realisation that ‘one size netball’ does not fit all was a turning point for the organisation and has allowed us to begin to reach out to women who would never have contemplated returning to the game through more traditional structures.”

Of real concern, however, is the continued under-performance of five of the top seven participation sports, including the only sports with more than two million weekly participants - swimming and football.

Sport England’s Chief Executive, Jennie Price, said: “What is concerning is that a number of major sports have yet to deliver, despite significant levels of investment. They now urgently need to demonstrate their ability to grow participation in their sport and prove they can make a significant contribution.”

Sport England is now 18 months into a four-year investment period for 46 sports’ national governing bodies. The sports have been set individual targets to increase participation over the four years, with the latest sport-by-sport figures also published on their website.

Kimberley Mogg, Sportsister
The Women’s Sports Magazine

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