CCESCanadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Centre canadien pour ľéthique dans le sport
2002 Canadian
Public Opinion Survey
on Youth and Sport
Final Report
July 2002
2002 Canadian
Public Opinion Survey
on Youth and Sport
Final Report
July 2002
Prepared by:
(aussi disponsible en francais)
CCES Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Centre canadien pour ľéthique dans le sport
202-2197 promenade Riverside Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1H 7X3 Canada
Tel./Tél. 613.521.3340 Fax/Téléc. 613.521-3134 InfoLine 1.800.672.7775
info@cces.ca www.cces.ca
Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................... 1
Executive Summary........................................................................................................................ 3
Detailed Analysis
Influence of Sport on Youth Today................................................................................... 6
Personal Involvement in Community Sports ................................................................... 12
Issues in Sport ...................................................................................................................15
Survey Methodology .....................................................................................................................18
Appendix A: Survey Questionnaire
2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
Introduction
Sport plays a central role in Canadian society. Participation in sport activities is widespread
across the population, whether individuals are involved as active participants, volunteers or
spectators, in a range of levels from pick-up shinny hockey, to community soccer leagues, to
university sports, to world class competition and professional sports. Sport, in the broadest
sense, plays a number of important roles in Canadian society, providing benefits that are
economic, recreational, health promoting, cultural, and moral or spiritual.
As positive a force that sport is in today's world, it is not without problems. As sport at the
professional levels has grown over the past generation, the increasing pressures of competition
and economics have created a major problem with the use of performance-enhancing substances
that distort the "playing field", damage the credibility of fair competition, and pose hazards to
health and well-being. Professional athletes increasingly become role models for youth, but in
some cases their behavior is hardly what we would want our children to emulate.
In a broader sense, the growing economic significance of sport in our society is shifting the focus
and resources to "for-profit" activities and sport as entertainment rather than as a valuable
activity in its own right. The so-called "americanization of sport" is a trend that increasingly
defines sport in a way that is at odds with the positive values associated with amateur sport. At
the same time, amateur sport is struggling and the opportunities for recreational sport at the
grassroots level are declining as municipalities, school boards and other institutions stretch to
find funding for what is all-too-often considered a non-essential form of activity.
The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) is an independent, national and non-profit
organization devoted to the promotion of ethical conduct in all aspects of sport in Canada. Its
mission is to promote ethical conduct in all aspects of sport in Canada, and build a fair and
ethical sport system that embodies respect, fair play, safety and non-violence. The CCES carries
out its mandate through a number of avenues, including research, promotion, education,
programs and partnerships with other organizations.
Because public attitudes play an important role in how society looks at and deals with ethical
issues involving sport, the CCES commissioned public opinion research to better understand how
Canadians view these issues at the present time. The objectives of this research are to:
* Gauge the public's attitudes about the role and contribution of sport to the development
of youth and to the broader community;
* Identify what Canadians consider to be important ethical and other issues in sport today;
* Understand how opinions vary by important segments of the population (e.g. by region,
demographics, participation in sport);
* Establish a baseline measure against which changes in opinions can be tracked over time
(in response to events and/or education initiatives); and
* Provide direction for future policy, program and educational initiatives.
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
The survey was conducted by Decima Research Inc., on behalf of the CCES. The research is
based on telephone interviews conducted with a representative sample of 2,001 Canadians (18
years and older) between March 18 - 27, 2002. A sample of this size drawn from the population
can be expected to provide results accurate to within plus or minus 2.1 percent in 95 out of 100
samples. A more complete description of the methodology used to conduct this survey is
provided at the back of this report, along with a copy of the questionnaire (Appendix A).
This report begins with an executive summary and key conclusions, followed by a detailed
analysis of the survey findings. Also included (in Appendix B) are "banner" tables that present
the results for all questions by key regional and demographic sub-groups. The detailed analysis
section of the report denotes these tables by question number (e.g. Question 1) for easy reference.
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
Executive Summary
Contribution of Sport
The results of the survey show clearly that Canadians highly value the contribution of
community-level sports to the development of youth and also to the broader community.
There is strong agreement across the country that sports at the community level is among the
most positive forces in the lives of Canada's youth today, more so than such influences as
school, friends and peers, religion and the music/entertainment industry. Only the family is
more apt to be considered as influential in shaping the development of the younger
generation.
Not only is sport credited as being a constructive force in the lives of youth, but this role is
also considered by most Canadians to be a priority. More than eight in ten believe it is
definitely, if not critically, important for community sports to actively promote positive
values in youth. This indicates that sports at this level are not only valued (for what they can
contribute), but also taken seriously as something that needs to happen in the interests of both
young people and society-at-large.
More specifically, community-level sports are seen to promote a number of positive values in
youth, with "teamwork" and "commitment to a goal or purpose" at the top of the list. The
public also believes sport promotes such values as "hard work", "striving for excellence",
"fair play", "courage to try new things" and "respect for others." There is notably less
agreement, however, on the contribution of sports in promoting "honesty."
Beyond the impact on youth, Canadians also see community-level sports as benefitting their
local communities in a number of ways. This is seen most broadly in terms of providing a
great source of fun and recreation, but many also believe sports help to reduce crime and
delinquency, bring people together, build community pride, and even provide a valued source
of local tradition and history.
While community sports are widely seen as an important source of influence in the
development of today's youth, Canadians are by no means sure that this role is being fully
realized, and that youth are benefiting as much as they could be. Fewer than one in five feel
very confident that community sports are in fact promoting positive values and character
building in youth as they feel it should be doing.
Issues in Sports
Most Canadians recognize there are a number of problems facing youth in sport today, but
there is no consensus on which of these are most serious. In terms of "top of mind" salience,
no specific issues emerge as predominant public concerns. Those most apt to be seen as
serious include an overemphasis on winning and competition, resource issues (e.g. costs of
participation, lack of facilities) and too little or too much parental involvement, but no one
issue is identified by more than one in six individuals. Other ethics-related issues, such as
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
violence, drugs and doping, and harassment command even less attention as problems facing
Canada's youth.
Although the use of performance enhancing drugs has low public salience in the context of
community-level sports, it is a problem that Canadians are prepared to take seriously when
specifically prompted. More than four in ten consider this to be a very serious problem, with
this view particularly widespread among Quebecers.
Moreover, the public is more apt to express concerns about performance enhancing drugs
than about other ethical issues in sport (such as harassment, intolerance and racism, and the
lack of fair play), or with access issues (such as the lack of adequate facilities or the
opportunities for participation). These results suggest that most Canadians do not currently
think about drugs as a major problem in local sports, but would be very concerned if this
problem became apparent, particularly in their own community.
Involvement in Community Sports
The research documents widespread involvement in community-level sports across Canada.
More than four in ten Canadians report to be involved in local sport in some capacity,
whether as a direct participant, as a coach or volunteer, or as a parent of children involved in
sports. Moreover, a significant proportion participate in more than one of these roles.
The basis for Canadians' positive opinions about the contribution of sports to youth
development can be found in part on direct experience. A majority of the population has (or
has had) children actively involved in community sports activities, and most are positive
about this experience. Almost seven in ten believe their own expectations for their childrens'
experience with sport have been met, if not exceeded, compared with less than one in ten
who are clearly negative about such outcomes.
Those whose expectations for their children's involvement in sport have not been fully met
point to a number of issues, the most common being a lack of interest or participation on the
part of their offspring, poor coaching or too much emphasis placed on winning. Few cite
their disappointment to be the result of other ethical issues (e.g. violence, intolerance) or
access issues.
Regional and Demographic Patterns
Public opinion on the issues covered on this survey are notably similar across the country.
While there are some notable variations, the overall conclusions apply equally to all regions
and demographic strata.
Across the survey findings, the most notable difference is between Quebec and the rest of the
country. While the opinions and activities of Quebecers are not fundamentally different than
those of other Canadians, they do stand out in terms of being less actively involved in
community sports and positive about their contribution to youth development and the broader
community. At the same time, Quebec residents are more likely to express concerns about
the issues facing sports today, and in particular the use of performance enhancing drugs.
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
Also of note is the fact that age level does not appear to be a major factor in defining
Canadians' views about the issues addressed in this survey. Younger individuals are more
actively involved in sports activities, but their opinions on the role of sports and the issues
confronting it are not significantly different from those held by older generations. Notably,
even those who are 18 to 24 years of age (those with the most recent experience as youth
involved in sports) do not stand out as having a discernibly different perspective on the role
of sports or the problems it currently faces in Canada today.
Finally, direct involvement in community sports activities has some influence on attitudes
about youth and sports. Canadians who participate in such activities in some capacity are
more positive about the contribution of sport to youth values, and even more so in terms of
how sport benefits the broader community. Such involvement has less impact, however, on
perceptions of the issues facing sport today, although active individuals less likely than those
not involved in community sports to consider as serious such problems as drugs, harassment
and intolerance.
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Detailed Analysis
Influence of Sport on Youth Today
Impact of Sport on Youth Values
Almost all Canadians believe community-level sports contribute to the development of
positive values in youth today, more so than such influences as school, religion,
professional sports and the music/entertainment industry.
At the beginning of the survey, Canadians were asked to rate the extent of influence of several
sources of influence on the development of values in today's youth. Among the sources rated,
community-level sports is among the most positively rated in terms of having a positive
influence on youth. More than nine in ten Canadians believe that community-level sports has a
very (40%) or generally (52%) positive influence on the development of values in youth, with
very few identifying this impact as negative (6%) or nil (2%). (Question 1d)
Influence of Community-Level Sports
on Youth Values
52%
5%
1%
40%
2%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Very
Positive
Generally
Positive
Generally
Negative
Very
Negative
Neither/
Don't Know
This view is widely held across the country, although somewhat more strongly among residents
of B.C. and those with higher levels of household income. Citizens with the lowest levels of
education and income are least apt to share this view, but no more than one in ten from these
groups maintain that community-level sports exerts a negative influence on youth.
In comparison with community sports, only family is more likely to be seen as having a very
positive impact on the development of Canada's youth (50%, versus 5% who believe family has a
negative impact). Other influences less likely to be seen as having a very positive influence
include school (32%), friends and peers (29%), church and religion (22%), professional
sports (17%) and the music and entertainment industry (14%). Perspectives on the
importance of these influences vary somewhat by region and demographic group, but the relative
order is essentially the same across the country. (Questions 1a-c,e,f)
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
Very Positive Influence on Youth Values
14%
22%
32%
50%
17%
29%
40%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
M u s ic/En te r tain .
In d u s tr y
Pr o fe s s io n al Sp o r ts
C h u r ch /Re lig io n
Fr ie n d s an d Pe e r s
Sch o o l
C o m m u n ity Sp o r ts
Fam ily
The survey also asked specifically about the influence of two specific types of top-level
competitive sports on Canada's youth. More than nine in ten say that Olympic sports has a very
(44%) or generally (48%) positive influence on youth, with only seven percent seeing it as
having a negative impact (Note: The survey was conducted shortly after the conclusion of the
2002 Winter Olympics). This endorsement of the Olympics is evident across the population, but
is strongest among men, individuals 18 to 34, and those with less education and income, while
less evident in Quebec. (Question 14)
Influence of Top Level Sports
on Canada's Youth
48%
5%
2%
20%
58%
17%
4%
44%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Very
Positive
Generally
Positive
Generally
Negative
Very
Negative
Olympics Pro Team Sports
Canadians are also positive about the influence of "major league" professional team sports
(such as hockey, football and basketball), but this is a much more qualified assessment. Close to
eight in ten consider this level of competition to have a positive influence on youth, but only one
in five (20%) feel the impact is "very" positive. (Question 15)
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Values Promoted by Community-Level Sport
Canadians are in strong agreement about the importance and capability of community
sports to promote positive values among youth, but few feel confident that this
potential is being realized today.
The survey focused on community-level sports in terms of their potential in promoting each of a
number of positive values in youth.1
Most significant is the fact that Canadians believe
community-sports is a positive force in promoting all of these values in today's younger
generation, although some more strongly than others. Of the seven values rated, teamwork is
the one most widely seen as being strongly promoted by participation in community sports
(72%), and most of the remainder feel this value is at least somewhat promoted (22%), while
very few (4%) maintain that community sports has little or no impact in this way. (Question 2g)
Youth Values Strongly Promoted by
C ommunity Sports
41%
52%
55%
63%
72%
56%
53%
52%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Ho n e s ty
Re s p e ct fo r o th e r s
C o u r ag e to tr y n e w th in g s
Fair p lay
Str ivin g fo r e xce lle n ce
Har d w o r k
C o m m itm e n t to p u r p o s e
T e am w o r k
Close to two in three (63%) Canadians say community sports strongly promotes the value of
commitment to a goal or purpose, while the rest feels it is promoted somewhat (30%), weakly
(5%) or not at all (1%). Smaller majorities believe that such participation strongly promotes the
values of hard work (56%), striving for excellence (55%), fair play (53%), respect for others
(52%) and the courage to try new things (52%). (Questions 2b-f,h)
Of the values rated, the public is least in agreement about the impact of community level sports
on the development of honesty, with four in ten (41%) saying it is strongly promoted, compared
with those who feel it is only somewhat promoted (43%), weakly promoted (11%) or not
promoted at all (3%). (Question 2a)
____________
1
Community-level sports is defined on this survey as the various types of organized sport activity taking place in schools and
universities, in local recreational and competitive leagues, as well as provincial and national level amateur competitions.
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
How Canadians feel about the capability of community sports to promote positive values in
youth is generally similar across regional and demographic groups, in that similar majorities from
all segments agree there is a strong contribution, and on the relative impact on specific values.
Atlantic Canadians are somewhat more likely to feel strongly about the capability of sport to
promote such values as courage, commitment to a goal and honesty. By comparison, Quebecers
tend to feel less strongly about many of these values, except in the case of fair play which they
feel more strongly about as a value promoted by community sports.
Women are marginally more likely than men to say each of the values is strongly promoted by
participation in community sports, but noticeably so only in the case of courage and hard work.
Of note is the fact that personal involvement participation in community sports (whether as a
direct participant, volunteer or parent of participating children) does not have a significant impact
on opinions about the capability for this type of activity to promote positive values in youth.
Participants are more likely than non-participants to feel each of these values are strongly
promoted, but the difference is relatively small (4 - 8 percentage points).
Apart from the extent to which community sports is seen to promote positive values, this
contribution is also widely seen to be a major priority. More than eight in ten Canadians believe
it is either critically important (41%) or definitely important (42%) for community sports to
actively promote positive values in today's youth. (Question 10)
This perspective is shared across the country, but the emphasis on critical importance is most
widespread among women, anglophones, Canadians with higher levels of education and those
some direct involvement in community sports. Those in the youngest age group (18-24) are less
likely than older groups to place strong emphasis on this contribution . In no identifiable group,
however, do less than three in four consider this contribution to be at least of definite importance.
Importance of Community Sports in
Promoting Positive Youth Values
42%
15%
2%
41%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Critically
Im portant
Definitely
Im portant
Som ew hat
Im portant
Not Very/At All
Im portant
While Canadians place considerable importance on the role that community sports should be
playing in the development of positive values in youth, they are less certain about the extent to
which this role is actually being fulfilled. Less than one in five (19%) are very confident that
community sports in Canada today is promoting positive values and character building among
youth, while a majority (62%) respond with qualification by saying they are somewhat confident
in this regard. (Question 11)
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Confidence in Community Sports Currently
Promoting Positive Youth Values
62%
15%
2%
19%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Very
Confident
Som ew hat
Confident
Not Very
Confident
Not At All
Confident
Once again, this opinion is largely the same across key segments of the population, with the
majority in each group indicating they are only somewhat confident about the contribution that
sport is currently making to promoting positive values in youth. Those somewhat more likely to
express strong confidence include individuals with lower levels of education and income, and
those directly involved in community sport. Residents of Quebec are the least positive, with only
15 percent saying they very confident compared with one in four who are not very (22%) or not
at all (2%) confident in how sport is currently influencing today's youth.
Broader Community Benefits
The public recognizes broader community contribution of local sports, both in terms of
recreational benefits, but also in reducing crime, bringing people together and building
community pride.
Beyond the development of positive values among youth, what other sorts of benefits can be
attributed to community sports? Results from the survey reveal that Canadians do in fact believe
that community sports activities can benefit local communities in a number of ways. There is
strongest agreement on the contribution of community sports on providing a source of fun and
enjoyment, with two-thirds (64%) saying this happens "to a great extent", while most of the
remainder feels this benefit is realized at least "to some extent" (31%). (Question9b)
Close to half feel that local communities benefit from community sports to a great extent in terms
of reducing youth crime and delinquency (49%), bringing people together (48%) and
building community pride (43%), with most of the rest acknowledging such benefits to some
extent. Canadians are noticeably less apt to feel their communities benefit from sports to a great
extent in terms of providing a rich source of tradition and history (26%), but a clear majority
feel this is true to at least a small extent. (Questions 9a,c-e)
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
Significant Local B enefits from
C ommunity-Level Sports
26%
48%
64%
43%
49%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80%
So u r ce o f tr ad itio n /
h is to r y
Bu ild s co m m u n ity
p r id e
Br in g s p e o p le
to g e th e r
Re d u ce s yo u th
cr im e
So u r ce o f fu n /
e n jo ym e n t
Some cultural differences are evident in perspective on this issue, with Quebecers less likely than
other Canadians to acknowledge these types of community benefits (with the exception of
reducing youth crime and delinquency). Atlantic Canadians, on the other hand, are the most
positive about the contribution of sport to community pride and as a source of tradition and
history.
Across the population, older citizens are more likely to emphasize the positive benefits in terms
of tradition, pride and reducing youth crime, while younger Canadians (18-34) are more apt to
stress community sports as a source of fun and enjoyment. Those active in volunteering in
community sports are among those most positive about all of these benefits, particularly crime
reduction and building community pride.
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Personal Involvement in Community Sports
Direct Involvement
Four in ten Canadians are currently involved in community-level sports, either as a
participant, volunteer or as a parent of children engaged in sports.
In addition to measuring public opinion about youth and sport, the survey also identified the
extent to which Canadians are themselves involved in community-level sports. This was done in
part to establish a profile of the participation level for general purposes, but also in part as a basis
for interpreting the attitudinal results (e.g. do citizens directly involved in local activities hold
different opinions or priorities, compared with those who are not involved).
Results from the survey indicate a high level of participation in community sports, with more
than four in ten (41%) reporting current involvement in some capacity. More specifically, close
to one in five (19%) Canadians are currently involved as a direct participant in local sports
activities, while 13 percent participate as a coach or volunteer, and one in four (24%) do so as a
parent of children involved in such activities (Note: These percentages total more than 41%
because many participate in more than one of these capacities). (Questions 3a-c)
Direct Involvement in Community Sports
13%
24%
41%
19%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
Participant Coach/
Volunteer
Parent of Child
in Sports
Total
Participation
Involvement in community sports is common across the country, but more prevalent among
younger individuals and those with higher levels of education and income, while least
widespread in Quebec. Of note is the fact that rural residents are only marginally more likely
than their urban counterparts to report such involvement. Men are more likely to participate
directly or as a volunteer, while women are more apt to report involvement as a parent. Not
surprisingly, there is considerable overlap in these three roles. Close to half of those participating
directly also indicate they are involved as a coach or volunteer in some capacity.
Apart from involvement in community-sports, most (71%) Canadians say they currently engage
in personal fitness activities (e.g. running, swimming, walking or working out in a gym) on a
regular basis. This activity is most widely reported by British Columbians (80%), individuals 18
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
to 34 years of age (78%) and those with the most education (80%) and income (76%), while least
so by Quebecers (57%). Regular fitness activity is somewhat more prevalent among those also
involved in community sports (75%) than among those with no such involvement (68%).
(Question 4)
Children's Participation in Sports
A majority of parents are generally satisfied with their childrens' experience with sports.
Six in ten (61%) Canadians report having had children involved in community-level sports
(either currently or in the past), and a majority of this group says their children have been either
very (35%) or somewhat (36%) active in sports. (Questions 5,6)
Parents who say their children have had as least some involvement in sports were asked about the
degree to which their own expectations have been met in terms of what they hoped their children
would get out of the experience with sport. Overall, results are generally positive in terms of a
strong majority of parents reporting that their expectations have been met (54%) or in some cases
exceeded (15%). Another one in five (19%) indicate their expectations have been "nearly met"
(a decidedly qualified response), while a smaller group (8%) are more definitive in saying their
expectations for their childrens' experience in sport have not been met. (Question 7)
Expectations for Childrens' Experience
with Community Sports
54%
19%
8%
15%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
Expectations
Exceeded
Expectations
M et
Expectations
Nearly M et
Expectations
Not M et
Positive outcomes in this respect are somewhat higher among younger parents (18 to 34) and
those with higher household incomes, while marginally lower among residents of Quebec. As
might be expected, Canadians who are themselves actively involved in community sport in some
capacity are more likely to feel their expectations have been met or exceeded (76%), compared
with non-participants (62%).
When those who indicate their expectations have not been fully met are asked why they give this
response (without offering potential options to choose from), a number of reasons are given, none
of which are predominant. This group is most likely to say their expectations for their children
were not fulfilled because of lack of interest or participation by their offspring (25%), because of
poor quality coaching, volunteers or general supervision (14%), or too much emphasis placed on
13 July 2002
Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
winning and competition (12%). Very few individuals identified reasons pertaining to violence,
racism, or a lack of sportsmanship or teamwork. (Question 8)
Reasons for Expectations Not Being Met
Top 10 Mentions
3%
3%
7%
8%
12%
14%
25%
7%
5%
3%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
Not enough sportsm anship
Children too young
Lack of leadership/Role m odels
Busy schedules/No tim e
Lack of quality program s
Lack of financial support
Parental interference/pressure
Too m uch em phasis on w inning
Poor coaching/supervision
Lack of interest/Participation
Lack of interest or participation is most widely given as a reason by residents of Quebec and
increases with age, while poor quality coaching and supervision is most likely to be emphasized
by younger urban residents. Women are twice as likely as men to mention an over-emphasis on
winning and competition as a reason for disappointment in their childrens' sport experience.
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
Issues in Sport
Most Serious Problem Facing Community Sport
There is little public agreement on what the most serious issues are facing youth in
community sport today.
The survey asked respondents to identify what they consider to be the most serious problem
facing youth in community sport today (unprompted - without offering potential choices). The
purpose of this question was to measure the salience of such issues, those that are "top of mind"
for Canadians when it comes to thinking about youth and sport.
The results show that most Canadians can identify such problems (only 15% could not offer a
response), but also that there is little agreement on what is most serious. Many different
problems are mentioned, but none by more than one in six citizens. The problems most likely to
be identified include an over-emphasis on winning and competition, cost issues involving either
the high cost of participation or the lack of adequate facilities/resources, and parental
involvement (either too much or too little). (Question 12)
Most Serious Problem Facing
Community Sport Today
Top 10 Mentions
6%
6%
7%
10%
11%
13%
16%
6%
6%
10%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
Drugs /Doping
Lack of participation
Poor coaching/le ade rs hip
Lack of funding
Lack of pare ntal involve m e nt
Pare ntal ove r-involve m e nt
Viole nce
Lack of re source s /Facilitie s
High cost of participation
Focus on w inning/com petition
By comparison, the public is less apt to identify other types of ethical issues such as drugs and
doping (6%), a lack of fair play (4%), lack of focus on morals (2%), harassment (1%) or the bad
influence of professional sports (<1%).
Opinions about what is most serious vary to only a minor extent across the population. Concerns
about the emphasis on winning/competition are more prevalent in the Prairies, among younger
Canadians and those with more education and income. Violence is more apt to be mentioned by
men and lower income individuals, while drugs and doping has more prominence in Quebec
(11%) than elsewhere (4%).
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Seriousness of Specific Issues in Sport
Four in ten Canadians consider drugs in sport to be a very serious problem, particularly
in Quebec. Other issues considered very serious include harassment, intolerance,
inadequate facilities and a lack of fair play.
Although there are no predominant issues that are top of mind issues among Canadians in terms
of youth in sport, there is also clear evidence of concern about specific problems. The use of
drugs and doping, in particular, has low salience among the public but emerges as a major issue
of concern when specifically prompted. Among seven issues rated, Canadians are most likely to
say that the use of performance enhancing drugs is a very serious problem in community sports
(42%). Another one in five (22%) rate this issue as somewhat serious, while few (9%) do not
have an opinion on this question. (Question 13a)
Seriousness of Problem in Community Sports:
Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs
22%
17%
10%
9%
42%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Very
Serious
Som ew hat
Serious
Not Very
Serious
Not At All
Serious
Don't
Know
Concern about drugs in sport is most prevalent in Quebec (55% very serious), as well as among
Canadians with lower levels of income and education. Also of note is the fact that this problem
is more apt to be considered very serious by individuals not currently involved in community
sport (45%), compared with participants (34%). In no group, however, do less than one-third rate
this problem to be very serious.
Among the other issues rated, the public is most likely to rate harassment (physical, emotional
or sexual) to be very serious (38%), followed by intolerance and racism (29%), a lack of
adequate sports facilities (27%), a lack of fair play (21%), sports injuries (18%) and a lack of
opportunities for participation (18%). (Questions 13b-g)
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
V ery Serious Issue Facing C ommunity Sports
18%
21%
29%
42%
18%
27%
38%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%
L ack o f
o p p o r tu n itie s
Sp o r ts in ju r ie s
L ack o f fair p lay
L ack o f facilitie s
In to le r an ce /Racis m
Har as s m e n t
Pe r fo r m an ce
e n h an cin g d r u g s
The serious of these issues varies noticeably across the population, although the overall ranking
of seriousness is generally the same for all groups. The most significant differences can be seen
by socio-economic status. As with the use of performance enhancing drugs, Canadians with
lower levels of education and income are more likely to rate each of these problems to be very
serious, particularly in the case of the lack of opportunities for participation and the prevalence of
sports injuries.
Quebecers are more likely than other Canadians to rank all of these issues as very serious, with
the exception of the lack of adequate facilities (which is most apt to be emphasized by Atlantic
Canadians). Parents and those not involved in community sport are more likely than others to
rate harassment and intolerance/racism as very serious problems in sports today. As well, the
seriousness attached to intolerance/racism declines with age, with those 18 to 24 expressing the
most concern about this problem (48% say it is very serious).
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Survey Methodology
Questionnaire Design
The questionnaire used for this survey was designed by senior Decima consultants, in
consultation with the CCES. Prior to being finalized, the survey was pre-tested on a small
number of respondents.
Sample Design and Selection
The sample for this study was designed to complete interviews with a representative sample of
2,000 adult Canadians from households selected randomly across the country. The sample was
stratified by province to ensure adequate sub-samples for meaningful regional analysis.
The sample was drawn using SurveySampler technology which ensures that all residential
listings in Canada have an opportunity to be selected for inclusion in the survey. Within those
households selected, respondents 18 years or older were screened for random selection using the
"last birthday" method, which provides an efficient means of ensuring the sample approximates
the population according to gender and age level. Up to five call backs were used to reach
selected respondents who may not have been available at the time of the call.
Survey Administration
The survey was conducted in English and French by telephone using computer-assistedtelephone-interviewing
(CATI) technology, from Decima's facilities in Ottawa, Toronto and
Montreal, between March 18-27, 2002. All interviewing was conducted by fully trained and
supervised interviewers, and a minimum of 10 percent of all completed interviews were
independently monitored and validated in real time. The average length of time required to
complete an interview was 11 minutes.
Completion Results
A total of 16,840 telephone numbers were dialled, from which 2,001 interviews were completed.
Among eligible households that were successfully contacted, the effective completion rate was
24 percent (the number of completed interviews (2,001) divided by the total sample (16,840)
minus ineligible numbers (2,441) and those of unknown eligibility that could not be contacted
during the interview period (5,945)).
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
Sample Distribution
A sample of 2,001 drawn from the Canadian population would be expected to provide results
accurate to within plus or minus 2.2 percent in 95 out of 100 samples. The margin of sampling
error will be greater for regional and provincial sub-samples, as presented below.
Sample Distribution by Region
Region/Province
Unweighted
Sample
Margin of
Error1
Atlantic Canada 200 +/- 6.9%
Québec 500 +/- 4.4%
Ontario 649 +/- 3.8%
Prairies 402 +/- 4.9%
British Columbia 250 +/- 6.2%
CANADA 2,001 +/- 2.2%
1
95% Confidence Level
19 July 2002
Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
Sample Characteristics
The characteristics of the final sample are presented below, in terms of the distribution across
region and demographic strata, and how they compare with the population. The banner tables
provided under separate cover present the results for all survey questions by each of these
categories (as well as others).
Sample Distribution by Population Characteristics
Sample1
%
Population2
%
Region/Province
Atlantic 8 8
Québec 24 24
Ontario 38 38
Prairies 17 17
British Columbia 13 13
Education Level
Grade School/Some High School 15 35
Complete High School 28 18
Some College/University 29 33
University 29 13
Gender
Male 48 49
Female 52 51
Age
18 ­ 34 33 31
35 - 54 38 41
55+ 28 28
Mother Tongue
English 64 60
French 25 24
Other 10 16
1
Weighted data (by region/province)
2
1996 or 2001 census
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
Appendix: Questionnaire
Introduction
Good afternoon/evening. My name is _______________ and I am calling from Decima
Research, a public opinion research company. Today we are conducting a brief survey on some
important issues concerning youth in Canada today, on behalf of a non-profit organization.
Please be assured that we are not selling anything. We are simply interested in your opinions.
A. The Role and Contribution of Sport
To begin, I'd like to ask you about youth in our society today . . .
1. To what extent do you feel each of the following has a positive or negative influence on
youth today? Starting with . . ., would you say this has a very positive influence, generally
positive, generally negative, or very negative influence on the development of values in
today's youth?
a. School
b. Church and religion
c. Family
d. Community-level sports
e. Professional sports
f. The music and entertainment industry
g. Friends and peers
2. I would now like to focus on the topic of sports at the community level.
To what extent, do you think that community sports is capable of promoting each of the
following values in youth today? Would you say that participation in sports can strongly
promote, somewhat promote, weakly promote, or not at all promote:
a. Honesty
b. Respect for others
c. Commitment to a goal or purpose
A-1 July 2002
Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
d. Courage to try new things
e. Fair play
f. Hard work
g. Teamwork
h. Striving for excellence
B. Personal/Family Involvement in Sport
Now switching topics a bit . .
3. Are you currently involved in community sports as a:
a. Participant
b. Coach or volunteer
c. Parent of children in sports
4. Apart from community sports, do you currently engage on a regular basis in personal fitness
activities such as running, swimming, walking or working out at a gym?
5. Do you have children, either living at home or living elsewhere?
6. Overall, how active have your children been in community sports activities? Would you
say:
- Very active
- Somewhat active
- Not very active
- Not at all active
7. To what extent have your own expectations been met in terms of what you hoped your
children would get out of their experience with sport? Would you say that overall your
childrens' experiences . . . your expectations for them?
- Exceeded SKIP TO Q.9
- Met SKIP TO Q.9
- Nearly met
- Did not meet
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
8. (IF NEARLY MET/DID NOT MEET EXPECTATIONS) What would you say is the main
reason or reasons why your expectations have not been met for your children?
SPECIFY
________________________________________
________________________________________
9. Now taking a broader view, to what extent do you think that community sports benefits the
broader community? Starting with . . . would you say this benefits local communities to a
great extent, to some extent, to only a small extent, or not at all?
a. Bringing people together in ways that strengthen communities
b. Providing a source of fun and enjoyment
c. Providing a rich source of tradition or history
d. Building community pride
e. Reducing youth crime and delinquency
C. Issues in Sport
On a broader issue . . .
10. How important do you feel it is for community sports to actively promote positive values in
today's youth? Would you say this is:
- Critically important
- Definitely important
- Somewhat important
- Not very important
- Not at all important
11. How much confidence do you have that community sports in Canada today is promoting
positive values and character building among youth? Are you:
- Very confident
- Somewhat confident
- Not very confident
- Not at all confident
12. What would you consider to be the most serious problem facing youth in community sports
today?
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Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport
13. I will read to you a list of issues, and in each case I'd like to know if you think it is
something that is very serious, somewhat serious, not very serious or not at all serious as a
problem facing community sports? Starting with:
a. Use of performance enhancing drugs
b. Harassment that is either physical, emotional or sexual
c. The prevalence of sports injuries
d. A lack of fair play
e. Intolerance and racism
f. A lack of opportunities for participation
g. A lack of adequate of sports facilities
14. What about the influence of professional sports, such as hockey, football and basketball, on
youth in Canada today? Overall, would you say the influence of professional sports on youth
is:
- Very positive
- Generally positive
- Generally negative
- Very negative
15. What about the influence of Olympic sports on youth in Canada today? Would you say the
influence of Olympic sports on youth is:
- Very positive
- Generally positive
- Generally negative
- Very negative
D. Respondent Characteristics/Demographics
To finish up, I'd like to ask you a few questions about you and your household for statistical
purposes only. Please be assured that your answers will remain completely confidential.
16. In which of the following age categories can I place you?
- 18 to 24
- 25 to 34
- 35 to 44
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2002 Public Opinion Survey on Youth and Sport ­ Final Report
- 45 to 54
- 55 to 64
- 65 and over
17. What is your mother tongue, that is, the language you first learned at home?
18. What is the highest level of education you have completed?
19. And for statistical purposes only, we need information about your household income. Please
tell me which of the following categories applies to your total household income for the year
2001?
- Less than $25,000
- $25,000 to$34,000
- $35,000 to $44,000
- $45,000 to $54,000
- $55,000 to $74,000
- $75,000 or more
20. And finally, may I have the first three digits of your postal code?
This completes the survey. In case my supervisor would like to verify that I conducted this
interview,
may I have your first name?
First Name: ______________________________
On behalf of the Canadian Centre on Ethics in Sport, thank you very much for your cooperation.
21. Province
22. Gender
23. Language of interview
A-5 July 2002