Abstract
This study aimed to determine contributing factors influencing Malaysian athletes’ participation. Investigating the factors influencing athletes’ participation is crucial because of the stigma within the community. The primary data used in this study were obtained from a survey that was developed and distributed to athletes. A total of 959 respondents (male = 510, female = 449) participated in the survey. The mean age of participants was 18.7 years old (± 5.5). A descriptive analysis was used to compare the variables (“Personality”, “Support”, “Opportunity”, and “Influence”) with participants’ age, sex and types of sports they participated in. Results indicate that the overall mean age at which the respondents started participating in their sports was 10 years old (10.9±3.4). However, both artistic sports and racquet sports show an earlier average age involvement than the overall mean. This study revealed no significant differences among any factor variables between males and females (>0.05). However, there was a strong agreement on “Personality” and “Support” as contributing factors, while “Opportunity” and “Influence” were the factors least agreed upon by the participants. Based on these results, this study provides information on the factors influencing athletes’ involvement in their sport. The study also found that there is relative equality between males and females. Still, there is a need to increase opportunities (such as programs and facilities) in specific sports. It is essential to conduct further research on the impact of age involvement and the factors contributing to the level of achievement in sports.
Presenters
Syarifah FathynahSenior Officer, Knowledge Management Centre, National Sport Institute of Malaysia, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
Sporting Cultures and Identities
KEYWORDS
Athletes, Participation, Personality, Support, Opportunity, Influence
