Research on sports in Kyiv
Context
Regular exercise (at least once a week for at least 30 minutes) reduces the risk of many diseases, including heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, cancer, obesity, mental health disorders, etc.
In Ukraine, only 12% of the adult population regularly exercises. For comparison, the average figure in EU countries is 42%, and in Sweden, which ranks first in Europe, it is 69%.
The reason for this low percentage is the Soviet model of governance, which still exists today, where most funds are spent on high-performance sports.
Analysis
The study was conducted in 2018 with the independent think-tank U.S port and with the support of Yaroslav Pryhara.
In ten districts of Kyiv, 1003 residents took part in apartment interviews. Among them, there were 539 women and 464 men, which corresponds to the gender distribution in the capital.
According to the survey, 45% of the population of Kyiv exercises for at least 30 minutes once a week. Most of them (65%) are people aged 18-29. They prefer independent training in private sports clubs. The most popular sports are fitness, athletics (running), football, swimming and cycling. The smallest part of those who go in for sports (19%) are people aged 60+.
Only 9% of respondents participate in competitions. These are mainly football leagues, races and tournaments.
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63% of respondents are satisfied or fully satisfied with the conditions for doing sports. Among those who are dissatisfied, 80% consider the lack of sports infrastructure to be the main problem.
Marital status and children
Most of the respondents are married. Interestingly, some people stop playing sports after marriage.
52% of respondents have children, most of whom go to private sports clubs and train with a coach, just like their parents.
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Logistics and budget
On average, people spend 1000 UAH/month on sports and choose training places near their homes.
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Active group
We divided all residents who go in for sports (45%) into two groups:
- 31% — do active sports
- 14% — only exercises and horizontal bar
Among the active group, the most popular sports are: fitness, football, swimming and athletics.
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Brief conclusions:
In general, all respondents can be divided into 8 groups:
24%
Not engaged in sports, married, with children
19%
Been involved in sports, single, without children
15%
Been involved in sports, married, with children
13%
Not involved in sports, single, without children
9%
Not involved in sports, single, with children
8%
Not involved in sports, married, without children
7%
Been involved in sports, married, no children
4%
Been involved in sports, single, have children
The quality and quantity of urban sports infrastructure do not meet the needs of citizens. As a result, most are forced to choose expensive private sports clubs.
The main problems of sports in the city are:
- 80%
Insufficient infrastructure, playgrounds, swimming pools, football fields and bicycle paths
Quality and condition of existing infrastructure
- 10%
Quality and condition of existing infrastructure
- 10%
High price of private sports clubs and lack of accessible, free opportunities
The model of sports governance in Ukraine needs to change.
It is necessary to shift the focus from high-performance to amateur sports, reform governance, provide modern street infrastructure, and develop a club sports culture with opinion leaders and managers.
In 2017, our team developed a Sports Development Strategy for Mariupol city, with the main goal of promoting grassroots sports (sport for all).
The situation has improved significantly in four years. Together with the city, we developed a new brand, a sports map of Mariupol, updated the organisational structure, and helped create a guide with practical recommendations.
As of the beginning of 2022, there were more than 100 public sports clubs in the city. Our team has developed a single platform where you can find information about all sports locations in Mariupol, coaches in all sports, and all planned sports events. You can also register for a training session or an event there.