Lack of time is probably the most frequently used excuse for not participating in sport. – In the 21 st Century people have to juggle many responsibilities, such as Work Family commitments Survival activities People who want to participate need to find the time to do so. However, some people wont be able to participate, even though they want to. Issues - Is time really an adequate excuse? For some, but for all those that say it is a barrier to participation?

Resources covers – Facilities –Uneven spread across the UK. – Eg - 50 metre swimming pools and velodromes – Participation is limited by where you live. – Eg. - Outdoor activities need natural resources. – Such as rowing, sailing, mountaineering/hill walking etc – The policy of the local authority is also important. – Eg They may want to spend money on one resource when you want another. This would seriously reduce your participation. – Finances. – Some activities cost money. – Others need expensive equipment – People – Imagine you have moved in to a new area and want to play a sport, but you cant find other people or clubs that follow this sport. This would clearly limit your participation.

Lack of fitness is often an excuse given by people who say they are unable to take part in sport. For some it is valid, but for many it hides a lack of motivation. For other people, the perception is that they are a long way from the levels of fitness displayed by many others that participate regularly. Because of this, they feel that they will be looked down on by those that play sport as not being fit enough and this limits their participation. This is therefore more of a psychological issue, particularly as there are many sports that can be done at the individuals own pace, gradually increasing intensity as they get fitter, such as walking, jogging and cycling

Not having the ability will often stop people from taking part. Often they dont want to show themselves up. This should not really be an adequate excuse to avoid participation. It is important that relevant coaching and advice is available to ensure that these people acquire the correct skills to develop their ability. This will be down to government sponsored initiatives, local government initiatives and sports development units.

Lifestyle issues covers elements such as stress, smoking, alcohol and drug consumption. Some of these will have a negative impact on the individuals health Stress will mean that the person is focussing on other issues and cant contemplate playing sport. These issues will need to be dealt with, probably by the individual, but maybe with professional advice, before they can play sport regularly.

People with genuine medical conditions may not be able to participate in sport, or may only be able to do so under medical supervision. If they do the wrong exercises, they may make the condition worse. Having said all of that, almost all medical conditions will benefit from some form of physical activity, as long as it is done correctly, and under supervision. Remember, before someone plays sport they should be screened by a qualified individual to ensure that they are doing safe and purposeful activities.