Young people in economically vulnerable areas are less active

Lack of resources and high association fees cause lower sports participation among children and young people around the country. It shows a study from the Center for Sports Research. In Rinkeby, outside Stockholm, there are few club sports available for children and young people. For many, it is simply too expensive to participate, says 15-year-old Rania Hassooni.

- I love training. When I was a kid, I used to go dancing and boxing. But for us in the city there is not much to do, we have the recreation yard, but no associations, she says.

The study from the Center for Sports Research shows that sports participation is falling mainly in sparsely populated areas and in economically weaker municipalities in the big cities.

According to researcher Johan Norgren, the study reflects the economic inequalities in society at large.

- The horror scenario is that this development will continue. That sport becomes a kind of concern only for a well-off middle class and not one for everyone.

For Rania Hassooni, the Runner Academy became her real entry into sports, something she believes has changed her life.

- I have never trained this much and it has really piqued me in my plug because I can focus better.

The non-profit organization The Academy of Runner Operations has since 2012 established itself in vulnerable areas where young people are offered free training.

- We want to be where we know that there is a worse range of other activities to remove the thresholds for the young people who are outside the traditional sports movement, says founder Johan Laselle.

Rania Hassooni says that the Runner Academy has been crucial to her well-being. In the future, she wants to be a leader in the organization to help other young people.