Ramón Spaaij

Ruth Jeanes, Ramon Spaaij, Dawn Penney and Justen O’Connor

The Australian Sociological Association (TASA) Conference

University of Melbourne
Australia

Abstract

This presentation examines the spatial exclusion of informal sport within community sport systems in Australia. Sports participation preferences have changed significantly amongst the Australian population over the last two decades. Adults are increasingly turning away from club-based sport whilst participation in informal forms of sport is increasing across time. Despite the increasing popularity of informal sport, this form of participation continues to lack recognition as a legitimate and valuable avenue for population-wide sport participation. Theoretically informed by concepts of spatial justice and Lefebvre’s theories of spatial production this presentation utilises the perspective of multiple stakeholders and a multi-level policy analysis to demonstrate the current spatial injustice that manifests within policy, planning, and use of public spaces and the significant constraints for communities wishing to participate in informal sport. We argue that the marginalisation of informal sport is at odds with Australian policy agendas that emphasise an urgent need to increase population levels of physical activity. The presentation concludes that action to counter spatial injustice within community sport is essential to capitalise on the opportunities that informal participation presents to address key health and social policy priorities.