Anna Walker’s Post

Interesting research on the correlation between young people playing support and reduced loneliness - check it out! #connection #social #communities #reduceloneliness #reduceisolation

Is It OK to Be Around People When You Have COVID? Noah Lyles competing in the Olympics with COVID has sparked the question By Rachel Nania and Suzette Lohmeyer Noah Lyles’ name will likely go down in history as the American bronze medal winner of the 200-meter run at the Olympics — who competed with COVID-19. Impressive, absolutely. Controversial, definitely. Though he says he quarantined as soon as he tested positive, he was around trainers and other athletes when he ran. And fans of all ages filled the stands. His decision made headlines: “Should Noah Lyles and Other Olympic Athletes Be Competing With COVID?” wrote Fortune, and “If Noah Lyles Had COVID, Why Was He Allowed to Compete in Paris?” asked The Hill. But why the backlash? Lyles didn’t break any rules. The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee said in a statement that it followed all guidelines from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as well as local authorities and left it up to the individual athletes as to whether they were OK to compete. The question seemed to be more along the lines of whether what Lyles did is socially acceptable considering he might have infected others. Is that … unkind? Dangerous to those especially at risk — older adults and the immunocompromised? What do we call it? And to be clear, he wasn’t the only athlete there with COVID, according to the World Health Organization; 40 others tested positive in the last two weeks. So how does the current culture around COVID match up with best practices? Should an Olympic athlete be expected to throw away four years of training and forgo the competition? The equivalent for us non-Olympic athletes is, say, missing your child’s wedding or a once-in-a-lifetime chance to meet your favorite rock star. During the height of the pandemic, the answer from experts would have been a resounding yes. But what about now?  Continued......please click on banner image below to finish reading this opinion piece. Posted by Larry Cole

Olympics and pandemics - one of the many (but more or less balanced) articles about the Paris Olympics, where many athletes have competed while having COVID-19. Cf: Risk-based management of international sporting events during the COVID-19 pandemic. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 102 (‎8)‎, 608 - 614. World Health Organization. (which was submitted in 2023, but in true WHO fashion was published only recently). https://lnkd.in/gJJi7p33 https://lnkd.in/g4NPzqEs

New data from Sport England reveals community sport and physical activity in England generated an annual social value of £107.2 billion in 2022-23, with £96.7 billion attributed to wellbeing benefits and £10.5 billion in healthcare savings 🔉 Key findings highlight that physical activity prevents numerous health conditions and generates significant savings for the NHS, including £540 million from reduced GP visits and £780 million from mental health service use.    We support the calls of the National Sector Partners Group (NSPG) for continued investment in sport and physical activity, urging the Government to protect funding and collaborate on plans to promote physical activity as a key tool in preventative healthcare 🧘♂️ Read more here: https://bit.ly/3NBeTqP Watch the full video here: https://bit.ly/40g3cNU  

Today, as we mark the International Day of Sport for Development and Peace, let’s celebrate the transformative power of sports. From boosting our mood and reducing stress to enhancing endurance and reducing the risk of chronic diseases, sports contribute significantly to our mental and physical health. Let’s pledge to make sports a part of our daily lives for a healthier, happier world. Moreover, sports have the unique ability to transcend boundaries, inspire change, and foster unity. Today and every day, let’s harness this force for good, and work towards creating positive impacts in our communities. #IDSDP #SportForHealth #SportForDevelopment

Some key insight here further emphasising the wider ripples that participation in sport and physical activity can have on individuals and communities.

We all know that physical activity is good for us. In fact it’s been cited as a ‘miracle cure’. Sport England's new research shows the huge value that physical activity has on society and the economy, including improving our health, preventing illness and saving the NHS billions. However, in London we’re facing a physical inactivity crisis with those in the poorest communities facing the greatest challenges of inequalities and barriers to leading an active life, which has a detrimental impact on their health and well-being. We need more investment and commitment from local and national Government - as well as corporates, elite sport and others - to create more equitable access to sport and physical activity, and unlock the huge benefits for our economy, health and society.

Regular exercise and socialising are key to our health, and 'how to encourage both?' is a key question in population health. The more we can get people participating in sport the better. Sport gets us moving, and it gets us interacting with each other. But no single sport suits everyone. We need variety. Perhaps the most inclusive sport, in terms of the variety of physiques it has a place for, is rugby... yes, all participants do have to be robust (and playing it is not for me!), but there are places on a rugby team for small players, stocky powerhouses, and towering giants. If you're looking to get into something new, give it a go.

Sport Solution: Canada’s Abuse-Free Sport framework, designed to prevent and address maltreatment in sports, predominantly caters to national-level athletes, leaving provincial/territorial-level athletes largely unprotected Read More: https://lnkd.in/geke7Zui

*New Blog Post* Sporting excellence and keeping our sports people safe. Paris Olympics 2024 is nearly upon us, and with it we will hear stories of adversity to triumph. We know from past stories that anyone in sport working their hardest to follow their dreams can be at risk of exploitation and abuse. Many feel they have to keep silent, so not to jeopardise their chosen path, but this causes long-term health issues which can last a lifetime. We need to continue the efforts to have safe spaces and practices in sport to keep children and adults safe from harm. We need to have clear oversight of sport governing bodies, to ensure concerns can be brought safely and investigated impartially. Read more from Erica Marks, CEO of Migdal Emunah here: https://lnkd.in/d_beT4pg #migdalemunah #JewishSexualAbuseSupportEdited · 2 m