Report on Sport 2003

There has been a huge increase in the interest in sport in recent decades. The number of people taking part in sport has grown strongly and more sport is broadcast on television than ever before. The government has invested a great deal in sport, not least because of the growing awareness of the positive effect that sport can have on health, social cohesion and the economy. Sport is now an integral part of society and has developed into the biggest informal leisure sector.
In the world of sport, too, however, the maxim applies that not all that glitters is gold. The interest in team sports appears to be waning; many people participate in sport but choose not to join a sports club or take part in matches. Over the coming decades, sport will be affected by trends such as population ageing and individualisation. The world of sport also faces the task of professionalising without losing its identity. The Report on Sport 2003 offers the statistical material and research results needed for a good strategy.