Impacts of the Covid-19 Pandemic on Youth Sport in Canada and Scotland

Abstract

First paragraph: In December 2019, 2019-nCov (Coronavirus/Covid-19) spread worldwide. By March 2020, sport was curtailed indefinitely. Consequently, sport’s very nature was significantly affected and, in some instances, permanently altered with the entire industry enduring a period of uncertainty which ultimately led to the dissolution of some sports businesses, competitions, organisations and teams (Pedersen, Ruihley, and Li, 2021). In creating a new field of study, research until now has focused more broadly on sport during the Covid-19 pandemic in terms of the experiences, impacts, issues and responses (Grix et al., 2021; Razai et al., 2020; Skinner and Smith, 2021). Less has been said about youth sport and Covid-19 (Drummond et al., 2020; Kelly et al., 2020; Sanderson and Brown, 2020). Some have concentrated upon specific countries, demographics and sports (Dorsch et al., 2021; O’Kane et al., 2021; Zago, Lovecchio and Galli, 2022). However, none have offered comparisons between two countries, like Canada and Scotland. Given the value attached to sport for youth as shown by the United Nations (UN) (2017) labelling it a fundamental human right, there is an increased need to give youth sport during the Covid-19 pandemic attention. While this paper does not assert that a lacuna about youth sport and Covid-19 exists, it is rather proposed that with the world progressing back to a perceived sense of ‘normality’, it is time to review all relevant research which documents youth sport during the pandemic in Canada and Scotland.