Reasons for abandoning sports practice: the case of Villanueva de San Juan (Sevilla)

Abstract

The practice of sports is a very valuable ingredient in people’s health, so much so that it becomes essential to be able to lead a good quality of life. However, sports abandonment is a fact that increases and is increasingly pronounced from early ages. The primary objective of this study was to identify the reasons for the abandonment of sports in rural environments, specifically in the town of Villanueva de San Juan, and to propose improvements that combat sports dropout through a questionnaire. The results showed that the main reasons for sports abandonment correspond to laziness and reluctance, followed by leaving late or being tired from work, and not having adequate sports facilities. Regarding the best solutions to prevent sports abandonment, the subjects identified some key areas: finding a suitable sport, offering more activities, and improving the organisation of free time, with no significant differences between sexes. Public administrations should invest more in establishing resources that mitigate these reasons for abandonment.