Sport Ireland’s Irish Sports Monitor Report for 2021 Published
- Participation rate among adults at 40% in 2021 – 6% decline since 2019
- Club membership remained broadly stable over the course of the pandemic
- Activities such as cycling, weights and running see higher levels of participation
- 54% of adults use technology to measure physical activity, almost twice as many as in 2017 when last measured
- 9 in 10 believe Irish Olympic athletes ‘set a positive example for others to follow’
The period of Covid-19 restrictions resulted in significant fluctuations in physical activity among the Irish public. While record levels of activity were measured at one point in 2020, according to Sport Ireland’s latest Irish Sports Monitor published today, the level of inactivity had returned to the pre-pandemic level by the end of 2021.
The Irish Sports Monitor (ISM) has measured adult participation in sport and physical activity since 2007. The latest report, produced in conjunction with Ipsos MRBI, presents findings based on interviews with over 8,500 adults aged 16 and over conducted between January and December 2021.
CEO of Athletics Ireland, Hamish Adams said: “This latest sports monitor further underlines the important role athletics played in all of our lives over the course of the pandemic. Our Clubs have worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic to ensure that members and the wider public were supported despite the many challenges that existed. Club memberships have remained stable over this period indicating the importance of athletics influence on the health of the nation. It is pleasing to note that running has consistently been the sport most participated in throughout 2020 and 2021, note these figures do not include walking or gym based running. We thank all our members for their continued contribution to society and Athletics Ireland welcomes the opportunity to deliver our vision of ‘inspiring the nation to be active, healthy and to perform through athletics."
The 2021 Irish Sports Monitor Summary Report is available here.
The 2021 Irish Sports Monitor Full Report is available here.