The chart below shows the number of adults participating in different major sports in one area, in 1997 and 2017. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The provided bar graph presents the

participation

of adults in various major sports in a specific area during the years 1997 and 2017.

Overall

, the data illustrates fluctuations in the number of adults engaging in different sports over a 20-year period. Tennis and football experienced significant growth,

while

cricket saw a considerable decline.

Additionally

, rugby and basketball demonstrated varying trends, and the

participation

in swimming and golf remained relatively stable. Tennis stood out as the sport with the highest number of participants in both years, with a substantial increase from 10,000 to 20,000

individuals

. Following closely, football experienced the most considerable growth, surging from over 45,000 to nearly 50,000 participants.

Moreover

, rugby witnessed a moderate rise from 20,000 to 25,000

individuals

. Notably, swimming maintained a stable

participation

level of around 35,000

individuals

.

Conversely

, cricket faced a significant decrease from approximately 25,000 to 30,000 participants.

Additionally

, basketball saw an increase in

participation

, reaching 25,000

individuals

in 2017. In summary, the data reflects varying trends in adult

participation

in major sports over the two decades. Tennis and football displayed substantial growth,

while

cricket experienced a notable decline.

Furthermore

, rugby and basketball demonstrated moderate changes, and swimming and golf maintained relatively stable

participation

levels.