Table 2.
Athlete responses to return to competitive sport during the lockdown period.
| Return to competitive sport during lockdown | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| When do you think you will be competing again? | Femalen = 225 | Malen = 463 | PNTSn = 4 | Totaln = 692 | p- value |
| % | % | % | % | ||
| 1 montha | 8 | 11 | – | 10 | <0.0001* |
| 1–3 monthsb | 30 | 38 | – | 35 | |
| 3–6 monthsc | 24 | 19 | 50 | 21 | |
| >6 monthsd | 4 | 3 | – | 3 | |
| Unsureb | 34 | 29 | 50 | 31 | |
| As you are aware, the SARS-CoV-2 virus will not simply “disappear” and maybe around for some time. Should regulations and authorities allow return to sport, would you be comfortable to return to your sport? | Femalen = 225 | Malen = 463 | PNTSn = 4 | Totaln = 692 | p- value |
| Yesa | 48 | 51 | 25 | 50 | <0.0001* |
| Nob | 16 | 14 | 50 | 15 | |
| Maybec | 36 | 35 | 25 | 35 | |
| If you answered “No” or “Maybe”, please say what would make you comfortable to return to sport | |||||
| Maybe | Femalen = 82 | Malen = 160 | PNTSn = 1 | Totaln = 430 (% of 243) | p- value |
| I am assured that protocols have been put in place to significantly reduce my chances at contracting the virus | 59 | 53 | – | 54 | <0.0001* |
| Risks must be reduced by 100% | 40 | 39 | 100 | 40 | |
| My sporting federation and government must be happy with guidelines to protect athletes | 44 | 36 | – | 38 | |
| The international sporting world must be moving in the same direction | 24 | 32 | – | 29 | |
| I am enabled financially or equipment-wise by my federation to take the precautionary measures implemented | 9 | 13 | – | 12 | |
| No | Femalen = 35 | Malen = 65 | PNTSn = 2 |
Totaln = 174 (% of 102) |
p- value |
| Risks must be reduced 100% | 54 | 62 | 100 | 60 | <0.0001* |
| I am enabled financially or equipment-wise by my federation to take the precautionary measures implemented | 11 | 9 | – | 43 | |
| The international sporting world must be moving in the same direction | 17 | 34 | – | 27 | |
| My sporting federation and government must be happy with guidelines to protect athletes | 23 | 29 | – | 26 | |
| I am assured that protocols have been put in place to significantly reduce my chances at contracting the virus | 49 | 40 | 50 | 10 | |
| Would you compete behind closed doors but televised? | Femalen = 225 | Malen = 463 | PNTSn = 4 | Totaln = 692 | p- value |
| Yes | 72 | 86 | 50 | 82 | <0.0001* |
| No | 28 | 14 | 50 | 18 | |
PNTS: Prefer not to say.
ab When significance tests indicated that differences existed between the counts within each question, the superscripts indicate which options reported similar results. These represent the post hoc results.
*
Significant difference p < 0.05.