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Inflation and Declining of Sports Participation at University Level in Pakistan: A Study of Financial Barrier

Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examines the socioeconomic factors determining the participation in sports among the higher education sector of Pakistan in particular the effects of hyperinflation on participation in university sports. Against this backdrop of a volatile economic landscape, compounded by the highest Consumer Price Index (CPI) on record, this research fills an important gap in the literature in terms of student-athlete resilience in developing economies. Using a quantitative cross-sectional research design, data were collected from a stratified random sample of 107 university students. The study used a structured instrument to measure five key constructs, namely, personal financial impact, institutional support, behavior of participation, social/psychological impact, and future outlook. Linear regression and Pearson correlation were used to determine whether there is a strong positive correlation between sports participation and the so-called inflation factor (as the indicator of economic strength). Statistical analysis has demonstrated that the correlation between factors is robust (R =.84, R 2 =.71). Although the hypothesis that economic hardship has a direct and limiting effect on engagement was not supported, the results indicate that sports participation is an important coping strategy and 71% of the participation can be attributed to the adaptive nature of the students to financial stressors. However, by using descriptive statistics, a precarious financial reality has been revealed where more than half of those surveyed receive no institutional support and entirely self-fund, even with the rising costs. These findings illustrate a paradox of resilience in that the level of intrinsic motivation supports long-term participation at a short-term period but structural underinvestment jeopardizes the long-term sustainability. The paper has concluded with policy recommendations of selected micro-subsidies, and cheaper intramural programs to defend just dealings to sporting activities at the times of economic turmoil. Keywords: Sports Participation, Inflation, Financial Barriers, University Students.
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.20670200
Language: English
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7164584505
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