Sports and Leisure - Essay Example

There can be concerns among customers or local people over issues of, crime, violence, disorderliness, and general safety in and around leisure or leisure sports sites. Due to the combined efforts of organizations like, Institute of Sport and Leisure Management, The Fitness Industry Association, Sport England and The Institute of Sport and Recreation Management leisure and sports is considered to be a professional industry with highly trained, educated and conscientious individuals. With increase in the quality of professional standard employment in the sports and leisure industry is considered competitive, prestigious as well as fun oriented.

This perception has contributed towards drawing in a lot of young people, and towards integration of sports and leisure as part of higher education. It has also lead to the creation of greater employment opportunity, with greater investment in the public sector by both local governmental and private players. Sports England has implemented various schemes for various project objectives successfully. PRIDE is concerned with establishing professionalism in the leisure industry, providing equal employment opportunity to blacks and ethnic minorities.

Community Network Alliance is driven towards supporting new organizations within the "community sports network. Social Issues like equality and integration through sports; issues of racism in sport's scenario; social responsibility of Sports (by employing the youth's productively and reducing the rates of drug abuse, juvenile delinquents etc); unequal representation of gender in sports; leisure as a sort of splurge by a consumption driven society and it's environmental implication are some other contemporary and future issues in sports and leisure that have gained momentum.

With growing competitiveness and professionalism as well as popularity there have been concerns over the issues of sports governance. An example of this can be found in the campaingn spear headed by an association of football supporters the Independent Manchester United Supporters Association (IMUSA) as well as its sister concern, shareholders United (SU),protesting against the projected takeover of Manchester United by BSkyB satellite television company.With increasing consciousness among the people about health and the benefits of exercise, individuals are displaying a proclivity towards fitness and health clubs.

Regular exercise like running, leisure and hobby sports has increased.Fitness Industry Association (FIA) is one among the many group of lobbyist who are campaigning for the incorporation of USA type benefits for people joining health clubs. They base their logic on the fact that healthier people mean less spending by the national Health Services. Leisure includes a gamut of activities including sports, leisure trips and tours. Within the frame work of leisure, the direction of issues is multifarious including the analysis of the social and environmental impact of tourism.

While conceding that tourism offers great employment avenues and is revenue generating industry there is increasing concerns about its effect on the eco-system and environment. Hence the move is towards sustainable development and eco-tourism. Many individuals and organization have