The purpose of this study is to examine how the experience of belonging to athletic clubs during adolescence affects an individual's involvement status in sports later in life, and whether the influence differs depending on an individual's age group. Web surveys were given to those over the age of 18 living in the Kansai area. The survey remained open for participants to respond until the total number of responses reached 10,000, and the survey occurred between December 6–10, 2018. First, we treated the experience of belonging to athletic clubs in junior high school and high school as one of two values, either "belonged" or "did not belong." Then, they were divided into four groups as career patterns. In order to examine the relationship between sports career patterns of belonging to athletic clubs and an individual's current sports involvement status, we performed a one-way analysis of variance test. Next, in order to examine the relationship between the effect of the sports career patterns in youth and age, we performed a two-way ANOVA using career patterns and age groups as independent variables and the number of sports participated in and watched over the past year as dependent variables. The results of the ANOVA show significant differences in all items, such as exercise frequency and sports watching and volunteering habits. As the results of the two-way ANOVA show, the effect of the career patterns was significant in all items, and the effect of age groups was also significant in most items. Having experience in athletic club activities in adolescence may significantly contribute to the expansion of an individual's range of exercise and sports involvement after entering adulthood.

Previous research has illustrated the need for event organizers to take proactive measures to deal with anticipated accidents of risk concerning the organization of sports events. However, the risk management method adopted by the event organizer at the planning stage of the events, when they are required to decide on whether to hold the events under uncertain circumstances brought about by external risk incidents, remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the judgement process in hosting international lifelong-sport events under uncertainty. We collected archival materials and studied the World Masters Games 2021, its organizing committee, and its stakeholders. We identified 13 elements of uncertainty that were significant of stakeholders’ hosting events in uncertainty. These include: reachability of event value, possibility of duplication of event schedule, opaqueness in financing, difficulty in securing staff, difficulty in securing equipment, difficulty in securing event venue, feasibility of pre-event, difficulties in securing participants and ensuring safety, difficulty in securing volunteer-staff, difficulties in developing a cooperation system, transport/accommodation coordination risks, opaqueness of comprehension/agreement of host, and feasibility of holding the ceremony. In order to cope with the uncertainty, the Organizing Committee （1） interviewed relevant organizations, （2） referred to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics Games, （3） conducted a survey on stakeholders of the Games, and （4） collected statistical evidence related to infectious diseases. Based on these measures, the decision to postpone the event to 2022 was made after controlling the uncertainty related to the decision on whether to host the Games or not. Insight into the key uncertainty dimensions of event planning phase in international lifelong-sports events that judgement criteria of postpone is given, and several practical recommendations are suggested for event organizer and event stakeholder.

  Sports volunteers are essential for maintaining and promoting the sports environment. However, with the diversification of activities and changes in individual values, there are a lot of problems. Because of the chronic shortfall of sports volunteers, it is important to identify factors of participation and continuity in recent years.

  The purpose of this study is to organize the research methods and factors through a systematic review of studies on the factors of participation and continuity of sports volunteers, and to overview the gap between definitions and actual activities. We selected 32 articles published in Japan that research on factors related to participation and continuation of sports volunteers.

  As a result, 18 studies did not specify the definitions of sports volunteers in their studies. Secondly, the common research methods were questionnaires using original scales, and no studies using theoretical models that included continuation behavior. We summarized the factors associated with participation and continuation, most common motive for participation was altruistic. In addition, it was suggested that positive experiences such as "enjoyment" and "satisfaction" in the activity may contribute to the sports volunteer’s continuation.

  Finally, it was suggested that the type of sports support activities covered by the survey deviated from the definition of sports volunteerism, and that the survey participants may have a different perception from the definition.

  This study focuses on the national games of Special Olympics Nippon, a sports organization for people with intellectual disabilities, to examine the effects and significance of the games as a lifelong sports event in the formation of a basic sports environment for people with intellectual disabilities in Japan.

  In the 1990s, sports for people with intellectual disabilities had yet to achieve widespread recognition on the part of society as a whole, including on the part of family members and other stakeholders, and opportunities and methods were also not yet adequate. In this context, Special Olympics Nippon has staged summer and winter editions of its national games every 4 years, respectively, since its establishment in 1994. In addition to attracting an increasing number of individual athletes with disabilities, these national games have been expanding the number of matches and events held on each occasion. Moreover, in conjunction with the staging of the games, the organizers have popularized the understanding of sports for people with intellectual disabilities and increased membership and bases of activity across the country. These efforts have set the foundation for lifelong sports for people with intellectual disabilities and facilitated both their development and expansion.

  In the background of this development has been the foundational idea of the Special Olympics, which emphasize “participation” rather than “record-keeping” and “winning and losing.” Though these games are staged at the national level, athletes are broadly able to take part, regardless of their competitive skill or degree of disability, and it is this characteristic that has arguably led to their subsequent expansion.

  On the other hand, some potential needs remain. It will be necessary to create environments in which people with intellectual disabilities can take part in sports over the course of their lives, beyond the frame of school-based education.