Sports in Germany are thriving

Organized sports in Germany have more than 28 million members, more than ever before. In the statistics of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), more than 28 million members have been registered for the first time since the inventory began in 1954. In total, approximately 86,000 sports clubs in the country registered 28,764,951 memberships from the reporting date at the beginning of the year . That’s about 890,000 more memberships than the previous year, which equates to an increase of 3.2 percent.

“This is a good message for sports in Germany and for our society,” said DOSB President Thomas Weikert: “The numbers confirm what we are all working hard for. sport and its clubs are an essential part of our society. No other area of ​​our existence reaches and unites so many people.”

According to the DOSB, every second child is a member of a sports club

The previous membership level was 27.99 million in 2013. Organized sports had to deal with losses due to the corona pandemic. In the last three years, however, the numbers have improved significantly again.

It should be noted that since then, many children and the elderly in particular have joined sports clubs. Statistics from the state’s sports associations show that in the 0 to 14 age group, the number of members among boys and girls increased by 9.32 percent, twice as much as the overall average for each age group. “This means that every second child in Germany is a member of a sports club,” says the DOSB statement. In the over 60 category, more than 230,000 new memberships (4.92 percent) were added to associations state sports.

However, despite the record, there are still many shortcomings, as the German sports umbrella organization also points out. Many clubs lack “volunteer staff” as well as coaches and trainers. In addition, many sports facilities are in “poor condition and have been waiting for a complete renovation for decades,” explained Michaela Röhrbein, head of sports development at the DOSB. The 86,000 clubs “went beyond their limits in many places”. Röhrbein therefore appealed to political decision-makers and asked for more support in strengthening voluntary work, reducing bureaucracy and taking measures to improve the “sports infrastructure that is falling apart” to develop.