Reasons for the Reluctance of Students at the Faculty of Physical Education in Gharyan to Participate in Sports

Abstract

The researcher used the descriptive method in its survey style due to its suitability for the nature of the research. The research population included 103 students from the fourth-year students of the Faculty of Physical Education at Gharyan University for the academic year 2025-2026. The sample consisted of 80 students, selected through purposive sampling. The researcher utilized a scale to assess the reasons for the students' reluctance to practice officiating sports competitions, designed by Ahmad Hayajna and Walid Shaheen from Yarmouk University, Jordan. The researcher presented the questionnaire to six judges in the field of physical education and sports sciences, including two international judges, selected from six Libyan universities from the faculties and departments of physical education and sports sciences. The final version of the questionnaire was used, aiming to identify the reasons for the students' reluctance to practice officiating sports competitions. The scale includes four dimensions with a total of 20 items, where students respond to the measurement items using a dichotomous scale, with answers of "Yes" or "No." In light of the research tool, its sample, and the results obtained from statistical procedures, the researcher reached the following conclusions:

The reasons for the students' reluctance from the Faculty of Physical Education to engage in officiating sports competitions at Gharyan University ranked social factors first, followed by psychological factors, then academic factors, and finally economic factors. Students fear facing pressure from the audience or making wrong decisions, which causes them anxiety and psychological distress. It was evident that there is a desire to practice officiating; however, the conflict between class days and lecture times with the schedule and location of training courses is a barrier. Furthermore, there are few training courses available for officiating in the sports that students wish to specialize in. Additionally, students showed greater interest in their academic subjects and distanced themselves from officiating materials taught through courses outside of the academic curriculum. Finally, any financial return, if available, does not cover many additional expenses, such as transportation costs, especially if the officiating courses are held outside the university or organized in other cities, as most students do not have their own means of transportation.