Sports networks and spatial accessibility: analysis of distances between sports centres in Italy using Python tools

Imagine a country where the ability to play a game, join a gym, or simply walk to a sports field depends entirely on your postal code. In Italy, this is not just a hypothetical scenario but a measurable reality. The study of how people reach places they need is a branch of geography that looks at the space between us and the services we rely on. When applied to sports, this field asks a simple but vital question: can everyone, regardless of where they live, get to a place for exercise within a reasonable time? The answer matters because regular physical activity is a cornerstone of public health and social connection. If the map of sports facilities is uneven, the health of the nation becomes uneven too. Researchers have long known that cities usually have more amenities than the countryside, but the specific shape of this inequality in Italy, and how it changes when you consider walking or cycling instead of driving, has remained unclear until now.

A researcher has mapped the entire network of sports centers across Italy to reveal exactly how this inequality plays out. They did not just count the buildings; they treated the country as a giant web of connections. Using computer tools designed to analyze networks, they traced the actual paths people would take to get from their homes to a sports center, accounting for roads, hills, and the difference between walking and riding a bicycle. They gathered data on nearly 77,000 facilities, from football pitches to indoor gyms, and combined this with population numbers and road maps. By simulating travel times, they could see which areas were well-connected and which were isolated, creating a clear picture of who has access to a healthy lifestyle and who does not.

The results paint a stark contrast between the north and the south of the country. In the bustling corridors connecting major cities like Milan and Turin, the network is dense and efficient. Here, most people can reach a sports facility within 15 minutes of walking or cycling. These areas act as hubs, with many facilities clustered close together, creating a system where access is easy and abundant. In these northern regions, the density of sports centers is nearly double that of the south, with almost two facilities for every 1,000 residents. The researcher found that in these well-served zones, the facilities are often large and offer many different types of sports under one roof, serving millions of people who can easily reach them.

In sharp contrast, the southern regions and the mountainous interiors tell a different story. In places like Calabria, Sicily, and the Apennine mountains, the network is sparse and fragmented. Here, the distance to the nearest sports center is often much greater, with many towns located more than 20 kilometers from a facility. For a significant portion of the population in these areas, reaching a sports center takes more than 45 minutes, even by car, and is often impossible within a reasonable walking or cycling time. The study found that in these peripheral zones, facilities are often limited to basic outdoor fields, lacking the indoor or multidisciplinary options available in the north. This creates a situation where nearly 30% of the population in low-density areas cannot reach a sports center within a 30-minute window, a threshold often recommended for promoting active lifestyles.

The researcher also looked at how recent investments have affected this divide. Since 2020, new funding has been directed toward upgrading sports infrastructure, but the data suggests these improvements have largely benefited the already well-served northern areas. The facilities in the north have become even more connected and numerous, while the south has seen very little change. This trend risks locking in the existing inequality, making it harder for southern communities to catch up. The study highlights that while the country as a whole has a decent number of sports facilities, their distribution is deeply uneven. The map shows a clear pattern where the wealthy, urban north is a tightly woven web of opportunity, while the rural and southern peripheries are isolated islands of limited access.

To understand the full picture, the researcher used a method that looks at how central a location is within the entire network. They found that the major northern hubs act as powerful anchors, connecting many different paths and serving as gateways for large populations. In the south, the facilities are often on the edges of the network, disconnected from the main flow. This structural difference means that even if a sports center exists in a southern town, it may not be part of a system that allows people to easily travel between different facilities. The study suggests that simply building more facilities is not enough; the connections between them matter just as much.

The analysis also considered the impact of upcoming major events, such as the 2026 Winter Olympics. While these events bring investment and upgrades to specific venues in the north, the study warns that without targeted policies, these benefits will remain localized. The researcher proposes that to fix this imbalance, planners need to think in terms of a "hub-and-spoke" system. This approach would involve strengthening the main hubs in the cities and building new connections, or spokes, that reach out to the isolated rural areas. They suggest that creating dedicated paths for bicycles and pedestrians could bridge the gap, allowing people in remote towns to connect to the larger network.

Ultimately, this research provides a clear, data-driven way to see where Italy's sports infrastructure fails its citizens. It moves beyond simple counts of buildings to show how the geography of access shapes the daily lives of millions. The findings indicate that the right to exercise is currently determined by location, with a significant divide between the connected north and the isolated south. By using these maps and metrics, policymakers can now identify exactly where new paths or facilities are needed to create a fairer system. The study concludes that with the right planning, it is possible to redesign this network so that every citizen, whether in a city or a remote village, has a realistic chance to participate in an active life.