Sport and physical activity as a virtuous phenomenon, capable of triggering widespread economic and social benefits for the entire country, starting from increased productivity, employment, and well-being. A continuous increase of 10% in sports participation across the population would lead to a medium- to long-term annual productivity growth of around 1.7%, equivalent to nearly 34 billion more in GDP and about 81,000 more jobs per year. Additionally, the growth of sports participation would result in a healthier population in terms of both physical and mental well-being, reducing healthcare spending by 1.6%.
These are some of the highlights from Deloitte’s report “Sport: a key sector for the social, educational, and economic development of the country.” The multiplier effect of the benefits derived from sport and physical activity represents a true asset for our country, says Fabio Pompei, CEO of Deloitte Italy. In light of this, it is essential to approach sport with an increasingly strategic mindset at the national level, focusing on public-private collaboration and defining key development elements, from social policies to infrastructure, from new skills to sports event planning. Only by following this path will we be able to maximize the positive impact of sport on a national scale, ensuring greater productivity and well-being for our country.
The perception of Italian citizens: sport as a key factor in the educational journey In the daily lives of citizens, sport is a central and deeply ingrained phenomenon, as evidenced by the survey analysis included in Deloitte’s study, conducted with a sample of over 3,000 respondents from five countries (Italy, Spain, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom).
Sport is considered a fundamental element in education by 96% of Italians (compared to an average of 90% in other EU countries), and for more than 1 in 2 Italians (54%), it is as important as school. However, according to respondents, Italy is the country where schools least encourage young people in their sporting endeavors: 62% believe schools do not do enough or even penalize children and young people pursuing competitive sports, compared to an average of 45.5% in other countries. Italians have a deep emotional connection with sports (they are the most interested in sporting events, with 75% compared to 69% in other countries) and not only perceive sporting events as a growth factor (70% of Italians compared to 59% of the continental average), but they also believe that our country is capable of organizing international sporting events with a positive impact (57%). In this context, the Milan Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Games represent an opportunity to capitalize on, and 3 out of 4 Italians believe they will leave a positive legacy for the country.
The economic and social impact of increasing sports participation Increasing sports participation by 10% would lead to a healthier population in terms of physical well-being (3.3% fewer overweight people, 1.9% fewer people with cardiovascular diseases, and 1.6% fewer with musculoskeletal disorders) and mental well-being (1.1% increase in mental health index, 6.4% increase in life satisfaction). Furthermore, it would improve social well-being (9.9% increase in satisfaction with social relationships), help counter deviance (bad habits and addictions: 5% reduction in smoking and 4.9% reduction in alcohol consumption), and reduce crime rates by 5.2%, especially among young people.
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