As well as social and family factors it’s also important to consider the sex and race of an individual and their socio-economic situation.

Although gender is slowly becoming less of an issue, it’s still easier for males to access sport than females and support is still limited within certain sports. Some religions don’t even support women with sport whereas other cultures do. If women do feel intimated there has been an increase in women-only gyms and teams. Stereotypes, however, can affect both males and females with sports being allocated more towards one than the other.

Race can also play a part. Some cultures actively encourage people to take part in sports and there are even certain ethnic groups in which a particular activity is very popular. On the other hand, as with sexism, racism can have a very negative affect on who participates.

Lastly, there are socio-economic reasons. Some sports require more money than others and if someone can’t afford to play then they might end up being excluded. It could be that they can’t afford the equipment, the kit, the facilities or the travel expenses.

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Leisure time

Leisure time is basically the free time people have when they don’t have to work or study. Today, most people have more leisure time available to them due to them:

• working for a shorter period of their life
• living longer so they have more time after they retire
• being able to afford to take time off my holidays as they get paid for this period
• being able to job share or work part-time
• spending less time on housework

Leisure and recreation are important for a balanced and healthy lifestyle. They work well as a non-competitive alternative which can lead to a lifelong sport that carries on throughout that person’s life. Physical recreation leads to intrinsic rewards, as in the taking part, as opposed to extrinsic rewards, like when a sportsperson plays for an award or money.

People can choose what they want to do in their leisure however sport is encouraged by local authorities as well as the leisure industry. The former even provides discounts and special opening times for certain social groups including:

• the elderly
• retired people
• people with disabilities
• mothers and toddlers
• ethnic minorities
• job seekers and people on benefits

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