Barriers to participation in sport 2
see p. 67
What you need to know •
The barriers that affect participation in sport and physical activity.
•
Some of the barriers are very complex and not easy to solve.
PL E
The lack of equal coverage in the media in terms of gender
In the UK, women’s sport receives just 7% of the total sports media coverage. This makes it more difficult for women and girls to find positive role models, especially in sports that are traditionally considered to be ‘male’, such as rugby, where the media broadcast mostly men’s competitions. This may mean that women don’t continue participating in sport once they leave full-time education.
Other barriers to participation
Wanting to be like a sporting hero or role model can make someone more likely to participate in sport. Not having somebody like you as a role model in a sport might make you think that it’s not an acceptable sport for somebody in your user group. For example, a lack of ethnic minority role models in sports like skiing and rowing can lead people in this user group to not participate in these sports.
Employment (having a job) could mean that you have less time available to commit to a sport. On the other hand, unemployment (not having a job) could mean that you have a lack of disposable income (money that is available to spend on leisure time after bills, etc., have been paid).
SA
M
Lack of positive role models
A lack of appropriate activity provision is a common barrier, especially for younger and older age groups, and for people with disabilities.
Practise it!
Remember it!
1
•
The lack of equal media coverage has an impact on many different user groups.
•
A lack of role models can prevent people from participating in sports.
•
It can be very difficult to overcome some barriers to participation.
2
22
Identify four ways that a sport of your choice could be made more accessible for (4 marks) wheelchair users. State one barrier that might affect participation in sport for each of the following user groups: teenagers (2 marks) and women (gender).
Revision Guide
Original material © Cambridge University Press 2022. This material is not final and is subject to further changes prior to publication.