The effect of Olympic legacy on participation in youth Judo in Cardiff

Abstract

Physical activity is extremely beneficial to an individual’s overall well-being, for this reason; there is a large push for public intervention to increase activity levels. This may be the reasoning being the extensive and innovative London 2012 Legacy plans, (LOCOG, 2005), one of which was to inspire a generation to be excited by and engage in sport and physical activity (LOCOG, 2005).This research adopted a case study approach to investigate the effect that the Olympics and the associated legacy plans have had on youth participation rates in Judo in Cardiff. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 5 individuals closely involved with the delivery of Judo, and physical activity generally, in Cardiff secondary schools. The results showed that although improvements in participation had been noted since the Games, it is difficult to conclude that the Olympics were the main effector in this process. Much emphasis being put on the work of the individuals involved and their ability and willingness to maximise the potential benefits from the Games. In order to better understand this phenomenon, further research is required in terms of investigating the reasons that individuals give for participation, input from new and existing participants and coverage of different sports.