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No change in number of people playing sport following London 2012

By Tom Walker    13 Dec 2013
Canoeing was one of five Olympic sports to increase participation numbers

There has been no change in the number of people playing sport regularly since the London 2012 Olympic Games.

A total of 15.5 million people in England played sport at least once a week for 30 minutes during the 12 months to October 2013 - the exact same figure as the year before (12 months to October 2012).

The figures come from the latest Active People Survey (APS), published today by Sport England.

The report presents a mixed picture for overall participation, as it shows record participation numbers for many areas, while others show signs of decline.

People of BME origin are embracing sporting opportunities more than ever before with 2.7 million taking part in organised sport at least once a week.

There is also a record number of 1.67 million disabled people playing sport each week, up by 62,000 over the last year – a testament both to the impact of the Paralympic Games and Sport England's investment in accessible sport.

Figures for the 16-25 year old age group, however, show a different story. A decline of 51,000 over the last year means that just over 3.74 million young adults are now playing sport.

While there were increases in five Olympic sports – cycling, equestrian, boxing, canoeing and archery – the evidence also shows a sharp drop in the popularity of traditional sports such as football, tennis and netball.

In all, nine sports recorded increases in participation during the past 12 months - the five Olympic sports as well as badminton, bowls, angling and rugby league.

To see an interactive presentation of the full results of the APS, click here for the Sport England website.

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