Constraints and Facilitators of Sport Participation in Qatar: Perceptions of Ooredoo Marathon Participants

Abstract

The Qatari government has increasingly supported education of Qatar residents on the importance of physical activity, along with developing and improving sport infrastructure, and bidding for and hosting a collection of sport events. Despite these efforts, a number of challenges inherent to Qatar may hinder participation among the country's residents. The current research examines constraints to physical activity described by participants in a sport event in Qatar, along with factors that facilitated their participation. Semistructured interviews were conducted with Qatari residents who had participated in the Ooredoo Marathon (N = 22), the largest participatory sport event in Doha, Qatar that targets individuals of all running abilities. Four constraints (social life, reluctance to walk, lack of time and competing priorities, and expectations for women) along with three facilitators (technology, peer and familial support, and government support) emerged from these interviews. The findings provide implications for sport and event managers to promote the social aspects of sport event participation in Qatar, as well as heightening awareness of sport focused technology.