Irish Sports Monitor Mid-Year Report shows a gradual return to participation
Sport Ireland's 2021 Irish Sports Monitor Mid-Year Report shows the number of people taking part in sport in recent months has risen while there has been a slow return to social participation in sport.
This is the fifth Irish Sports Monitor produced which studies the impact of Covid-19 on sport and physical activity. The interim report from Ipsos MRBI presents the results from the first six months of the year (January to June), showing the number of people taking part in sport has risen in recent months from 35% in Q1 2021 to 41% in Q2 2021, largely driven by increases in the numbers cycling, swimming, playing golf and playing popular team sports. However, sports participation rates are still behind 2019 levels of 46%.
Measured by club membership, attendance at events and volunteering, there has been a slow return to social participation in sport. Club membership fell to a low of 30% in Q1 and Q2 2021, down from 35% in 2019.
On a positive note, 86% of club members maintained their memberships through the pandemic and 89% of current club members intend to renew their membership.
Volunteering fell dramatically during the pandemic to a low of 2% in Q1 2021 but started to rise again to 5% in Q2 2021. Of those who volunteered before the pandemic, 81% intend to return to volunteering once restrictions have lifted.
Event attendance was at 0% in Q1 2021, showing high levels of compliance with government restrictions. Event attendance grew to 4% in Q2 2021, still down significantly from 20% in the first half of 2019, while 54% of people indicated that they intend to attend a sports once restrictions allow.
The chief executive of Sport Ireland, John Treacy, commented: “While the results of this mid-year report are encouraging on the whole, there are some key areas that warrant further attention in the coming months.
“As a sector that relies heavily on volunteers, we must ensure that the return to sport encourages and supports the safe return of volunteers. It is also imperative that we take action to reduce the gender gradient in participation. This reduced dramatically during the pandemic but today’s results show that it is starting to re-emerge.”
The director of participation and ethics at Sport Ireland, Dr. Una May, added: “The socio-economic gradient in sport participation is a key metric in the ISM and unfortunately we are starting to see the social class gradient re-emerge.
“While sports participation in higher socio-economic group has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels, there has been only a slight increase in lower socio-economic groups. This widening gap needs to be addressed through initiatives and programmes in the coming months to ensure that everyone has access to sport and physical activity opportunities.”
The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin, and the Minister of State for Sport and the Gaeltacht, Jack Chambers, have both welcomed publication of the report.
“A major priority for me in the coming weeks and months is getting people of all ages and abilities back to sport. We will be running a major new initiative this winter to help more people get back playing and participating in the sports and activities they love post the pandemic,” said Minister Chamber.
The ISM 2021 Mid-Year Report can be accessed here.