A3 Barriers to participation for different types of participant Typeit

Data from the Active Lives survey from November 2020-21 shows that only 61.4% of all adults (aged 16+) meet the government's recommended guidelines of 150+ mins of physical activity per week. Many people who are heavily involved in sport may wonder how the percentage of people meeting these guidelines isn't higher, but what may not be obvious is the large number and diverse range of barriers that different types of people face regarding participation in sport and physical activity.

Here we will cover the cost and access barriers to participation.

Cost of participation

There are many costs that come with participation in sport and physical activity. Firstly, there are the costs of the sport or activity itself. Many sports clubs require members to pay fees (subs) that go towards the costs of things like kit, equipment, events and facility hire for training. In order to participate in physical fitness activities at a gym or a leisure centre, members will either have to pay an entry fee to use the facilities on a one-off basis, or if they are more regular users they will have to pay for a monthly or annual .

Then there's the cost of clothing and equipment. Many sporting activities will require participants to purchase specific clothing, such as running spikes for athletics or leotards for . Likewise, participation in many sports requires participants to bring their own equipment, such as tennis , golf clubs, or bicycles in order to compete in a triathlon.

Another cost may be the to and from an event. Many sports participants will have to attend a variety of venues for training and matches, multiple times a week, which will increase expenses, e.g. fuel costs. Likewise, for many people the nearest gym or fitness centre may be too far away to travel without using a car or transport such as a bus.

Access to sport or physical activity

As discussed above, the of a sport event or local gym or leisure centre may be inaccessible for some people who don't have access to a car or suitable public transport. This particularly affects people living in areas whose nearest sports facility might be a considerable distance away. The availability of accessible transport is another issue that some participants may face, particularly people with physical disabilities who require access. 

Many participants may be lacking the necessary resources to participate in sport or physical activity, such as suitable clothing, equipment or additional people required. This is often limited by the of such resources, especially with the bigger and better brands.

Every participant has their own individual interests in the types of sports or physical activities they wish to participate in. However, the provision of such may be limited, such as appropriate indoor for skiing or availability of female sports teams in the local area.