Children play football at the Sport Village yesterday. PICTURE: Noushad Thekkayil
A number of Qataris who do not regularly practise sports attribute it to the lack of adequate free time and the absence of sports facilities near their homes, a recent survey has revealed.
The Ministry of Development Planning and Statistics (MDPS) conducted the survey in co-operation with Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), aiming to gather information on various aspects of participation in sports activities in the country based on age categories.
The survey was conducted through the MDPS and QOC websites and 1,749 people (1,000 males and 749 females) took part in it.
Around 35% of the respondents were Qataris and 65% non-Qataris. Among the Qatari participants, 61% were women and 39% men, while among non-Qataris, 67% were men and 33% women.
According to the survey findings, 71% participants said they often practise some kind of sports while 29% said they do not engage in sporting activities. The numbers for Qatari and non-Qatari respondents are similar in this regard.
Around 43% of the Qatari participants said they do not have enough spare time to take part in sporting activities. Besides, 18% said the non-availability of facilities near their residence discourages them from practising sports. Some 6% said they do not practise sports for health reasons.
Further, the survey shows that women have less time than men to practise sports. Seventy-one per cent of the participating women said they do not have time for sports while only 29% of the men said so.
Regarding participation in National Sport Day activities, around 35% of Qatari respondents said they have taken part in them. Sixty-five per cent of non-Qataris have done so with men registering a higher rate of participation than women.
Less than 23% of the respondents said they regularly take part in sports events scheduled for the day. Among Qataris, more men (28%) attend sports events than women (17%).
Meanwhile, the MDPS pointed out in a statement that the results of the survey did not represent the Qatari and non-Qatari inhabitants of the country as participation in the study was only voluntary and the outcome was just indicative information.