Sports can strengthen much more than people
At a time when many nations are grappling with rising healthcare costs, youth anxiety, social fragmentation and economic uncertainty, sports must be viewed not just as a leisure activity, but as a strategic investment in national development.
Too often, discussion of sports is primarily in terms of medals, elite athletes or major competitions. Yet the true value of sports extends far beyond the stadium. Sports build healthier citizens, stronger communities, more resilient economies and more connected societies.
Most important, sports are not only for Olympic champions or professional athletes. They are for everyone — schoolchildren, university students, working adults and the elderly alike. A nation that embraces sports as part of daily life creates long-term social and economic benefits that no medal table alone can measure.
At the individual level, regular physical activity improves physical and mental health, builds confidence, strengthens discipline and develops resilience. Increasingly, medical experts emphasize that exercise, alongside healthy diet, is one of the most effective ways to prevent chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and obesity. Encouraging active lifestyles is therefore not simply a public health issue; it is an economic imperative.
The financial stakes are enormous. According to the World Health Organization, insufficient physical activity contributes to millions of preventable deaths annually and imposes substantial healthcare costs worldwide. Sedentary lifestyles place growing pressure on national healthcare systems, particularly as populations age. By contrast, healthier populations reduce long-term medical expenditures, improve workforce productivity and contribute to social stability.
Sports are particularly effective because they are often social and collective. Whether through football, basketball, badminton, pickleball, running clubs or community-square dancing, people motivate one another to remain active. Exercise becomes sustainable when it is embedded in social interaction and community life.
This is why investment in sports must go beyond elite training facilities. Municipal governments, schools and universities all have important roles to play in providing accessible sports infrastructure, public exercise spaces, amateur leagues and qualified coaches. If sports are to become part of a nation's culture rather than simply spectator activities, opportunities for participation must be widely available.
China has increasingly recognized this reality. Public fitness campaigns, expanded sports infrastructure and greater support for school athletics have helped raise awareness of healthy and active lifestyles. It is also encouraging that Chinese universities require students to pass physical education assessments before graduation. Such policies send an important signal that physical well-being is an essential component of education, not an optional extra.
The emergence of new sports also reflects changing lifestyles and demographics. Pickleball, for example, has grown rapidly around the world because it is easier to learn than tennis, requires less space and places less physical strain on participants. It is highly social, accessible to older adults as well as younger generations, and equally welcoming to men and women. The growth of such sports demonstrates how recreation can evolve to include broader segments of society.
Sports also have enormous educational value. Educators and employers increasingly recognize that academic achievement alone is insufficient for success in the 21st century. Teamwork, adaptability, perseverance, emotional intelligence and leadership are equally important. Sports develop these qualities in ways that classrooms alone often cannot.
Research consistently shows that student athletes tend to perform better academically, develop stronger social skills and experience greater emotional well-being. Sports teach young people how to cope with pressure, recover from setbacks and work collaboratively toward common goals. Equally important, they teach sportsmanship — respecting rules, showing fairness and learning how to win or lose with dignity. These values are fundamental not only for athletic participation, but also for social and professional success later in life.
When students come from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds, sports often serve another important purpose: creating connection and belonging. In an increasingly mobile and globalized world, many young people move frequently between countries, cities and communities. Sports provide continuity, friendship and identity in an ever-changing environment.
Another important quality of sports is universality. Athletic participation creates shared experiences and common values regardless of nationality, language or background.
In an age increasingly defined by polarization and mistrust, these values matter greatly. International sporting exchanges also create opportunities for dialogue and cooperation when traditional diplomatic channels may be strained. The historical example of the Ping-Pong Diplomacy between China and the United States remains a reminder that sports can sometimes open doors that politics alone cannot.
Ultimately, societies must think more broadly about what constitutes national investment. Infrastructure, technology and industry remain essential, but human capital matters just as much. Healthy, resilient and socially connected citizens are the foundation of sustainable prosperity.
Sports contribute directly to that foundation. They strengthen people, communities and nations. The returns may not always appear immediately on financial balance sheets, but over time they become visible in public health outcomes, educational achievement, economic productivity and social harmony.
John Quelch is executive vice-chancellor, American president of and a distinguished social sciences professor at Duke Kunshan University in China. Zarko Krkeljas is director of the Athletic Department at Duke Kunshan University. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
