The 2002 General Household Survey, has revealed a steady decline in sports participation by adults across the UK between 1996 and 2002 – from 48 per cent to 43 per cent.

However, the report also revealed that the number of people who participate in sport competitively has increased significantly over the period.

Forty per cent of men who engaged in sport in 2002 played competitively compared with 32 per cent in 1996. Meanwhile, 45 per cent of women who took part in sport in 2002 received tuition compared with 27 per cent in 1996.

Sport England has responded to the survey by reaffirming it strategy to drive up sport participation by 1 per cent, year-on-year, until 2020.

According to the organisation, the heart of its strategy rests upon increasing sports participation by establishing key foundations, including creating multi-sport hubs, investing in modern community facilities and sustained campaigns to educate people to be more active.

Chief executive, Roger Draper, said: “These findings endorse our new business case and I am not surprised that participation rates during this period have dropped.

“Since 2003, we have modernised Sport England and identified savings of £40m from back office costs that are being invested directly into sport. We are now in a position to deliver our targets and help England to become an active and successful sporting nation.” Details: www.statistics.gov.uk or www.sportengland.org