Prospective cohort study of long-term neurological outcomes in retired elite athletes: the Advanced BiomaRker, Advanced Imaging and Neurocognitive (BRAIN) Health Study protocol.

INTRODUCTION: Although limited, recent research suggests that contact sport participation might have an adverse long-term effect on brain health. Further work is required to determine whether this includes an increased risk of neurodegenerative disease and/or subsequent changes in cognition and behaviour. The Advanced BiomaRker, Advanced Imaging and Neurocognitive Health Study will prospectively examine the neurological, psychiatric, psychological and general health of retired elite-level rugby union and association football/soccer players. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: 400 retired athletes will be recruited (200 rugby union and 200 association football players, male and female). Athletes will undergo a detailed clinical assessment, advanced neuroimaging, blood testing for a range of brain health outcomes and neuropsychological assessment longitudinally. Follow-up assessments will be completed at 2 and 4 years after baseline visit. 60 healthy volunteers will be recruited and undergo an aligned assessment protocol including advanced neuroimaging, blood testing and neuropsychological assessment. We will describe the previous exposure to head injuries across the cohort and investigate relationships between biomarkers of brain injury and clinical outcomes including cognitive performance, clinical diagnoses and psychiatric symptom burden. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Relevant ethical approvals have been granted by the Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee (Ref: 17/LO/2066). The study findings will be disseminated through manuscripts in clinical/academic journals, presentations at professional conferences and through participant and stakeholder communications.

Association between match-related physical activity profiles and playing positions in different tasks: A data driven approach.

Assessing the intensity characteristics of specific soccer drills (matches, small-side game, and match-based exercises) could help practitioners to plan training sessions by providing the optimal stimulus for every player. In this paper, we propose a data analytics framework to assess the neuromuscular or metabolic characteristics of a soccer-specific exercise in relation with the expected match intensity. GPS data describing the physical tasks' external intensity during an entire season of twenty-eight semi-professional soccer players competing at the fourth Italian division were used in this study. A supervised machine-learning approach was tested in order to detect difference in playing positions in different sport-specific drills. Moreover, a non-supervised machine-learning model was used to profile the match neuromuscular and metabolic characteristics. Players' playing positions during matches and match-based exercises are characterised by specific metabolic and neuromuscular characteristics related to tactical demands, while in the small-side game these differences are not detected. Additionally, our framework permits to evaluate if the match performance request is mirrored during training drills. Practitioners could evaluate the type of stimulus performed by a player in a specific training drill in order to assess if they reflect the matches characteristics of their specific playing position.

Event detection in football: Improving the reliability of match analysis.

With recent technological advancements, quantitative analysis has become an increasingly important area within professional sports. However, the manual process of collecting data on relevant match events like passes, goals and tacklings comes with considerable costs and limited consistency across providers, affecting both research and practice. In football, while automatic detection of events from positional data of the players and the ball could alleviate these issues, it is not entirely clear what accuracy current state-of-the-art methods realistically achieve because there is a lack of high-quality validations on realistic and diverse data sets. This paper adds context to existing research by validating a two-step rule-based pass and shot detection algorithm on four different data sets using a comprehensive validation routine that accounts for the temporal, hierarchical and imbalanced nature of the task. Our evaluation shows that pass and shot detection performance is highly dependent on the specifics of the data set. In accordance with previous studies, we achieve F-scores of up to 0.92 for passes, but only when there is an inherent dependency between event and positional data. We find a significantly lower accuracy with F-scores of 0.71 for passes and 0.65 for shots if event and positional data are independent. This result, together with a critical evaluation of existing methodologies, suggests that the accuracy of current football event detection algorithms operating on positional data is currently overestimated. Further analysis reveals that the temporal extraction of passes and shots from positional data poses the main challenge for rule-based approaches. Our results further indicate that the classification of plays into shots and passes is a relatively straightforward task, achieving F-scores between 0.83 to 0.91 ro rule-based classifiers and up to 0.95 for machine learning classifiers. We show that there exist simple classifiers that accurately differentiate shots from passes in different data sets using a low number of human-understandable rules. Operating on basic spatial features, our classifiers provide a simple, objective event definition that can be used as a foundation for more reliable event-based match analysis.

Head impact differences in blind football between Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games: video-based observational study.

OBJECTIVE: In Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, there were the rule and goal size changes at the blind football competition. This study aimed to compare the scoring and head impact characteristics during blind football competition between the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games using the official videos. DESIGN: Video-based observational study. PARTICIPANTS: In total, 36 blind football (men's football 5-a-side) game videos were obtained from the official International Paralympic Committee. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Head impact was defined as the sudden contact of any object with the head. Videos were analysed to assess the number of scores and head impacts along with their corresponding details (ie, round, playing phase, scoring situation, impact situation, occurrence area, impact object, head impact site, fall and foul). RESULTS: The total number of goals scored at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games was nearly double that at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Regarding head impacts, a total of 2036 cases (Rio 2016, n=1105; Tokyo 2020, n=931) were evaluated. Significant differences were observed in head impact characteristics between the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games among seven outcomes (round, scoring situation, impact situation, occurrence area, impact object, site of head impact and fall). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games showed an increase in the number of points scored and different head impact characteristics.

Night-to-night variability of objective sleep outcomes in youth Middle Eastern football players.

OBJECTIVE: To describe components of night-to-night variation in objective measures of sleep. METHODS: We conducted a secondary data analysis of consecutive and chronologically ordered actigraphy-based measurements for time in bed (min), time asleep (min), and wake-after-sleep onset (min). This investigation examined 575 individual night-based measures available for a sub-sample of fifty-two, male youth Middle Eastern football players tracked over a 14-day surveillance period (chronological age range: 12.1 to 16 years). Distinct multivariable-adjusted generalized additive models included each objective sleep outcome measure as dependent variable and disaggregated components of variation for night measurement-by-sleep period interaction, week part (weekday or weekend), and study participant random effects from within-subject night-to-night sleep variation. RESULTS: The within-subject standard deviation (SD) of ±98 min (95% confidence interval [CI], 92 to 104 min) for time in bed, ±87 min (95%CI, 82 to 93 min) for time asleep, and ±23 min (95%CI, 22 to 25 min) for wake-after-sleep-onset overwhelmed other sources of variability and accounted for ∼44% to 53% of the overall night-to-night variation. The night measurement-by-fragmented sleep period interaction SD was ±83 min (95%CI, 44 to 156 min) for time in bed, ±67 min (95%CI, 34 to 131 min) for time asleep, and ±15 min (95%CI, 7 to 32 min) for wake-after-sleep-onset that accounted for ∼22% to 32% of each sleep outcome measure overall variability. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial random night-to-night within-subject variability poses additional challenges for strategies aiming to mitigate problems of insufficient and inconsistent sleep that are detrimental to school learning and youth athlete development processes.

The effect of complex contrast training with different training frequency on the physical performance of youth soccer players: a randomized study.

Background: Complex contrast training (CCT) is potentially an efficient method to improve physical abilities such as muscle strength, power output, speed, agility, are extremely important in developing soccer players of different age categories. Aim: This study aimed to analyze the effects of 6 weeks of CCT program applied in different training frequency (sessions per week) on youth soccer players performance. Methods: Twenty-one youth soccer players (age: 15.3 ± 1.1 years; body mass 64.9 ± 0.7 kg; height 175.4 ± 0.7 cm) were randomized into three groups: a regular pre-season training control group (G0, n = 8), a group with regular pre-season training plus twice-a-week CCT (G2, n = 6), and a group with regular pre-season training plus thrice-a-week CCT (G3, n = 7). The CCT consisted of soccer skills-based exercises distributed across five stations, to be performed before common regular practice during a 6-week pre-season period. The agility (505 Agility test), sprint (S5 and S15), jump (SJ and CMJ), and free kick speed (11 m from the goal) of the groups were analyzed pre- and post-CCT intervention. During a 6-week pre-season period, the players integrated CCT into their regular training sessions. Furthermore, performance variables were compared between the groups. Results: A statistical difference was identified for the timepoint for the players' CMJ (p = 0.023; η2 = 0.343) and the free kick speed (p = 0.013; η2 = 0.383) using ANOVA. The G3 showed a significant improvement in the CMJ (p = 0.001) and the free kick speed (p = 0.003) between pre- to post-CCT test. No other significant changes in performance were observed (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The CCT training program with a weekly frequency of 3 days per week is effective in improving free kick speed and CMJ performance in young male soccer players (U-15 and U-17 categories). CCT training programs have the potential to refine an athlete's preparation for competition. However, certain performance tests did not demonstrate substantial enhancements. Consequently, additional investigations are required to ascertain the effectiveness of CCT.

Eccentric Hamstring Strength Imbalance among Football and Soccer Athletes.

OBJECTIVES: Hamstring strain injuries (HSI) are common among football and soccer athletes. Eccentric strength imbalance is considered a contributing factor for HSI. There is, however, a paucity of data on hamstring imbalances of soccer and American football athletes as they age and advance in skill level. High school athletes will display greater interlimb discrepancies compared with collegiate and professional athletes. In addition, soccer athletes will exhibit greater hamstring asymmetry than American football athletes. METHODS: Hamstring testing was performed on soccer and American football athletes using the NordBord Hamstring Testing System (Vald Performance, Albion, Australia). Age, sex, weight, sport specialization, and sport level were recorded. Maximum hamstring forces (N), torque (N · m), and work (N · s) were measured. Hamstring imbalance (%) was calculated by dividing the absolute value of the difference in leg forces divided by their sum. One-way analysis of variance and independent sample t tests compared measurements between athlete groups. RESULTS: A total of 631 athletes completed measurements, including 88 high school male soccer, 25 college male soccer, 23 professional male soccer, 83 high school female soccer, 28 college female soccer, 288 high school football, and 96 college football athletes. High school soccer players displayed significantly greater imbalances for torque (P = 0.03) and work (P < 0.01) than football athletes. Imbalances for maximum force (P = 0.035), torque (P = 0.018), and work (P = 0.033) were significantly higher for male soccer athletes in high school compared with college- and professional-level athletes. Female high school soccer players had significantly higher imbalance in torque (P = 0.045) and work (P = 0.001) compared with female collegiate soccer players. Football athletes did not experience significant changes in force imbalances between skill levels. CONCLUSIONS: High school soccer athletes exhibit greater hamstring imbalances than football athletes. Higher levels of play in soccer, for both male and female athletes, correlate with less hamstring asymmetry.

Influence of contextual factors on match running performance of starters and non-starters in elite youth male soccer players.

This study investigated the effects of match location, quality of opposition (classified into: strong [1st to 4th position]; intermediate [5th to 15th position]; weak [16th to 20th position]), and match outcome on the match running performance of starters and non-starters from a top elite Brazilian soccer team. Absolute measures were calculated using total distance, high-speed (19.8-25.2 km·h-1), sprinting (≥ 25.2 km·h-1), total distance high-acceleration (> 2m·s2), and deceleration (< -2m·s2) were recorded by GPS units from a sample of young soccer players (N = 25) in a total of 17 matches. Relative measures were calculated by dividing absolute measures by the total duration of the matches. Non-starters covered greater total distance (p = 0.02), sprinting (p = 0.02), high-acceleration and deceleration (p = 0.04), sprinting distance relative per minute played (p = 0.005), and high-acceleration and deceleration relative per minute played (p < 0.001) when the team plays at home, strong opponents, and wins the matches. Starters covered greater total distance in high-speed running (p = 0.04), high-acceleration and deceleration (p = 0.03), and high-speed running relative per minute played (p = 0.04) when the team plays strong opponents and wins the matches. These findings highlight the impact of contextual factors during matches on the locomotor performance of young soccer players.

Effects of far-infrared radiation lamp therapy on recovery from a simulated soccer-match in elite female soccer players.

We investigated the effects of far-infrared radiation (FIR) lamp therapy on changes in muscle damage and performance parameters following six sets of 15-min Loughborough intermittent shuttle test (LIST), a simulated soccer match. Twenty-four elite female soccer players (20-24 y) were assigned into FIR or sham treatment group (n = 12/group). The participants received a 60-min FIR or sham treatment (30 min per muscle) over knee extensors (KE) and flexors (KF) at 2, 25, 49, 73, and 97 h post-LIST. Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) torque and muscle soreness of the KE and KF, plasma creatine kinase (CK) activity as muscle damage markers, and several performance parameters including countermovement jump (CMJ) and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YYIR1) were measured before and 1, 24, 48, 72, 96, and 120 h post-LIST. Changes in the measures were compared between groups by a mixed-design two-way ANOVA. The running distance covered during LIST and changes in the measures at 1-h post-LIST (before the treatment) were similar (p = 0.118-0.371) between groups. Changes in muscle damage markers at 24-120 h post-LIST were smaller (p < 0.05, η2 = 0.208-0.467) for the FIR (e.g., MVC-KE torque decrease at 48-h post-LIST: -1 ± 2%, peak KE soreness: 16 ± 10 mm, peak CK: 172 ± 42 IU/L) than sham group (-11 ± 9%, 33 ± 7 mm, 466 ± 220 IU/L, respectively). Performance parameters recovered faster (p < 0.05, η2 = 0.142-0.308) to baseline for the FIR (e.g., decreases at 48-h post-LIST; CMJ: 0 ± 1%, YYIR1: 0 ± 1%) than sham group (-6 ± 2%, -9 ± 6%, respectively). These results suggest that the FIR lamp therapy was effective for enhancing recovery from a soccer match.

Eating Disorders Risk Assessment and Body Esteem among Amateur and Professional Football Players.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess the risk of eating disorders and attitudes toward one's own body among football players at amateur and professional levels. METHODS: The study included 90 players from football clubs located in the Upper Silesia Metropolitan Area, participating in the 4th and 5th leagues in Poland. A survey questionnaire was used to conduct the study, which consisted of a metric section, an Eating Attitudes Test, and Body Esteem Scale questionnaires. The players were divided into two groups according to their sports level. RESULTS: Results showed that 24.4% of players were overweight, while 75.6% had a normative body weight. Approximately 16.7% met the criteria indicating susceptibility to an eating disorder. Body Esteem Scale interpretations revealed moderate body appraisal among players. CONCLUSIONS: Both amateur and professional athletes showed no significant difference in eating disorder risk, but professionals rated their bodies higher. Social media use, particularly on Twitter and Instagram, is correlated with eating disorders, with longer daily use associated with lower body ratings.

The effect of task load, information reliability and interdependency on anticipation performance.

In sport, coaches often explicitly provide athletes with stable contextual information related to opponent action preferences to enhance anticipation performance. This information can be dependent on, or independent of, dynamic contextual information that only emerges during the sequence of play (e.g. opponent positioning). The interdependency between contextual information sources, and the associated cognitive demands of integrating information sources during anticipation, has not yet been systematically examined. We used a temporal occlusion paradigm to alter the reliability of contextual and kinematic information during the early, mid- and final phases of a two-versus-two soccer anticipation task. A dual-task paradigm was incorporated to investigate the impact of task load on skilled soccer players' ability to integrate information and update their judgements in each phase. Across conditions, participants received no contextual information (control) or stable contextual information (opponent preferences) that was dependent on, or independent of, dynamic contextual information (opponent positioning). As predicted, participants used reliable contextual and kinematic information to enhance anticipation. Further exploratory analysis suggested that increased task load detrimentally affected anticipation accuracy but only when both reliable contextual and kinematic information were available for integration in the final phase. This effect was observed irrespective of whether the stable contextual information was dependent on, or independent of, dynamic contextual information. Findings suggest that updating anticipatory judgements in the final phase of a sequence of play based on the integration of reliable contextual and kinematic information requires cognitive resources.

Repeated-sprint sets test: a new method for evaluating and forecasting fitness in elite young male soccer players.

The objective of the current study was to explore the correlation between repeated sprint sets (RSS) ability and several physical attributes, including maximum sprint speed, maximal aerobic speed, maximal anaerobic speed, aerobic capacity, and explosive strength. Moreover, the aim was to assess the suitability of RSS as a comprehensive evaluation tool for physical qualities and to determine which physical field tests most accurately predict RSS in elite young male soccer players. A total of thirty-two young elite male soccer players (mean age 14.6 ± 0.3 years; predicted years from peak height velocity (PHV): - 0.4 ± 0.3; years in training: 3.7 ± 0.5) voluntarily participated in the study. The players participated in eight consecutive specific physical tests, with a minimum 72-h recovery between each session to minimize the impact of fatigue during the second trial. The participants completed the tests in the following order: RSS test, Vam-Eval test, a constant velocity test performed until exhaustion at 100% of vVO2max (tlim100), 20-m Multi-Stage Shuttle Run test (VMSRT), Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 1 (Yo-Yo IR1), Maximal Anaerobic Shuttle Running Test (VMASRT), Maximal Sprinting Speed Test (20-m flying sprint), Countermovement Jump (CMJ), and Standing Long Jump test (SLJ). The results of the study showed that there were very large negative correlations between tlim100 and SST (sum of sprint times), and large negative correlations between Yo-Yo IR1, Vam-Eval, and SST during RSS in young elite male soccer players (p < 0.05). Additionally, VMASRT and SLJ demonstrated a moderate negative correlation with SST (p < 0.05). In contrast, significant positive correlations were found between 20-m flying sprint and the SST (p < 0.05). According to the stepwise multiple linear regression analysis, the primary predictors of SST, ranked by importance, were tlim100 and Yo-Yo IR1. These two predictors collectively accounted for 72% of the variance in players' SST (p < 0.0001). Due to the importance of aerobic capacity and short repeated accelerations/sprint sets for overall competitive performance in soccer, in conclusion, our results suggest that elite young male soccer players should perform both high intensity interval training and aeorobic capactity exercises as part of soccer training if the primary outcome is to improve repeated sprint ability performance.

Correlations of Aerobic Capacity with External and Internal Load of Young Football Players during Small-Sided Games.

Aerobic capacity plays a crucial role in football performance, making it a focal point in training processes. Small-sided games (SSGs) are widely used in football training, but the relationship between aerobic capacity and running performance during SSGs remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate possible correlations between maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) and running performance in youth football players in SSGs (4:4, 3:3, 2:2, 1:1) with three different pitch sizes per player (150, 100, 75 m2/player). Sixteen male U15 football players participated in the study. Players underwent the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test level 1, and their VO2max was estimated based on their performance. Subsequently, players participated in SSGs wearing GPS devices to measure internal and external load. Pearson or Spearman correlation was applied for statistical analysis depending on the normal distribution of the data. The results reveal that, for 4:4 and 3:3 relationships, larger pitches led to a greater impact of aerobic capacity (total distance (TD): 4:4, 150 m2/pl, r = 0.715, p = 0.002; 100 m2/pl, r = 0.656, p = 0.006; 75 m2/pl, r = 0.586, p = 0.017). In the 2:2 relationship, the opposite was observed, with more correlations appearing on smaller pitches (TD: 2:2, 100 m2/pl, r = 0.581, p = 0.018; 75 m2/pl, r = 0.747, p < 0.001). In the 1:1 relationship, correlations with VO2max, total distance, and speed were observed only on the larger pitch. In conclusion, the aerobic capacity of young football players can influence running performance indicators in SSGs. Therefore, aerobic capacity could serve as a criterion for team composition, making SSGs more competitive. Additionally, the variation in correlations in the 2:2 relationship and their limited presence in the 1:1 relationship may be attributed to technical-tactical factors, such as increased ball contacts and one-on-one situations typically occurring in smaller setups.

Exploring soccer transfers in Spanish League-The hidden role of strategic differences among teams.

Transfers in the football world have become a hot topic in academic studies in recent years. Spanish league (La Liga) is one of the men's professional football leagues that have driven some of the most notorious transfers. In this way, we test determinants for the transfer relationships of football players in the Spanish League in the most expensive seasons with records (2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons). Furthermore, we identify determinants for the values of the observed transfers. The empirical analysis shows relevant findings. We recognize two implications. First, Spanish soccer transfers are not random and this evidence reflects the environment of imperfect competition characterizing La Liga. Second, the nonrandomness of the transfer process can be associated with an increasing inequality among teams and with a threat to the competitive balance in professional sports.

Cardiovascular risk of veterans' football: An observational cohort study with follow-up.

BACKGROUND: The cardiac stress for veteran football players during match is considerable. In this specific elderly population, the kinetics of exercise-induced cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and B-Type natriuretic peptide (BNP) could potentially be related to cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF) and cardiovascular disease and are therefore be investigated for their usefulness as an complement to established screening measures. METHODS: cTnI and BNP was measured in 112 veteran football players (age: 51 ± 10 years) within 30 minutes pre- and post-match. Players with elevated cTnI (cTnI-positive) and a control group (out of the 112 veteran players) with normal cTnI (cTnI-negative) underwent cardiac follow-up 4.2 ± 3.5 months post-match, comprising history, resting and stress ECG (including 30 minutes pre- and post cTnI and BNP), and echocardiography. RESULTS: In 33 players (29%) cTnI and in 6 players BNP (5%) exceeded the upper range limit for increased risk of myocardial damage (cTnI ≥ 5 ng/l) and myocardial wall stress (BNP ≥ 100 pg/ml) post-match, respectively. No correlation was observed between Δ cTnI (pre- vs. post-match) and the number of CVRF (r = -0.06, p = 0.50). Follow-up was conducted in 62 players (31 cTnI-positive and 31 cTnI-negative players) of which 6 (10%, 3 cTnI positive and 3 cTnI negative players) had cardiac abnormalities (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy n = 2, coronary artery disease n = 2, coronary artery anomaly n = 1, hypertensive heart disease n = 1). CONCLUSION: Veterans' football matches elicit increases in BNP and particularly cTnI in a considerable number of players. However, these biochemical alterations do not indicate acute cardiac damage as evidenced by follow-up. Routine determination of cardiac biomarkers is unlikely to improve cardiovascular screening in veteran football players.

Mass Participation and Tournament Event Management for the Team Physician: A Consensus Statement (2022 Update).

ABSTRACT: Mass participation events include endurance events (e.g., marathon, triathlon) and/or competitive tournaments (e.g., baseball, tennis, football (soccer) tournaments). Event management requires medical administrative and participant care planning. Medical management provides safety advice and care at the event that accounts for large numbers of participants, anticipated injury and illness, variable environment, repeated games or matches, and mixed age groups of varying athletic ability. This document does not pertain to the care of the spectator.

The effect of repeated concussions on clinical and neurocognitive symptom severity in different contact sports.

INTRODUCTION: The potential consequences of repeated concussions in sport are well documented. However, it remains unclear whether the cumulative impact of sports-related concussions differs between different contact sports. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the cumulative effects of sports-related concussions on clinical and neurocognitive health in different contact sports. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In a prospective multicenter study, we examined 507 (74 females) active professional athletes between 18 and 40 years of age from five different contact sports (soccer, handball, American football, basketball, and ice hockey). Data collection involved concussion history, clinical symptom evaluation, neurocognitive assessment, and the collection of other sports-related information. Composite scores were built for clinical symptoms (such as neck pain and balance disturbances) and for neurocognitive symptoms (such as memory and attention impairments). RESULTS: Athletes having suffered 3+ concussions in the past showed disproportionally higher clinical symptom severity than athletes with less than three concussions across all sports. The level of clinical symptom burden in athletes with 3+ concussions indicated mild impairment. The number of past concussions did not affect neurocognitive performance. DISCUSSION: Repeated sports-related concussions appear to have a cumulative impact on clinical-but not cognitive-symptom severity. Although clinical symptom burden in athletes with 3+ concussions in the past was not alarmingly high yet in our sample, increased caution should be advised at this point. Despite few exceptions, results are similar for different contact sports, suggesting a similar multidisciplinary concussion management across all types of sport.

Learning agile soccer skills for a bipedal robot with deep reinforcement learning.

We investigated whether deep reinforcement learning (deep RL) is able to synthesize sophisticated and safe movement skills for a low-cost, miniature humanoid robot that can be composed into complex behavioral strategies. We used deep RL to train a humanoid robot to play a simplified one-versus-one soccer game. The resulting agent exhibits robust and dynamic movement skills, such as rapid fall recovery, walking, turning, and kicking, and it transitions between them in a smooth and efficient manner. It also learned to anticipate ball movements and block opponent shots. The agent's tactical behavior adapts to specific game contexts in a way that would be impractical to manually design. Our agent was trained in simulation and transferred to real robots zero-shot. A combination of sufficiently high-frequency control, targeted dynamics randomization, and perturbations during training enabled good-quality transfer. In experiments, the agent walked 181% faster, turned 302% faster, took 63% less time to get up, and kicked a ball 34% faster than a scripted baseline.

Peak fat oxidation, peak oxygen uptake, and running performance increase during pre-season in sub-elite male football players.

PURPOSE: In Football, the high-intensity running bouts during matches are considered decisive. Interestingly, recent studies showed that peak fat oxidation rates (PFO) are higher in football players than other athletes. This study aimed to investigate whether PFO increases following a pre-season. Secondarily, and due to COVID-19, we investigated whether PFO is related to the physical performance in a subgroup of semi-professional male football players. METHODS: Before and after 8 weeks of pre-season training, 42 sub-elite male football players (18 semi-professionals and 24 non-professionals) had a dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scan and performed a graded exercise test on a treadmill for the determination of PFO, the exercise intensity eliciting PFO (Fatmax) and peak oxygen uptake (V̇O2peak). Additionally, the semi-professional players performed a Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test level 2 (YYIR2) before and after pre-season training to determine football-specific running performance. RESULTS: PFO increased by 11 ± 10% (mean ± 95% CI), p = 0.031, and V̇O2peak increased by 5 ± 1%, p < 0.001, whereas Fatmax was unchanged (+12 ± 9%, p = 0.057), following pre-season training. PFO increments were not associated with increments in V̇O2peak (Pearson's r2 = 0.00, p = 0.948) or fat-free mass (FFM) (r2 = 0.00, p = 0.969). Concomitantly, YYIR2 performance increased in the semi-professional players by 39 ± 17%, p < 0.001, which was associated with changes in V̇O2peak (r2 = 0.35, p = 0.034) but not PFO (r2 = 0.13, p = 0.244). CONCLUSIONS: PFO, V̇O2peak, and FFM increased following pre-season training in sub-elite football players. However, in a subgroup of semi-professional players, increments in PFO were not associated with improvements in YYIR2 performance nor with increments in V̇O2peak and FFM.

Sporting tournaments and changed birth rates 9 months later: a systematic review.

Introduction: Major sporting tournaments may be associated with increased birth rates 9 months afterwards, possibly due to celebratory sex. The influence of major sporting tournaments on birth patterns remains to be fully explored. Methods: Studies that examined the relationship between such events and altered birth metrics (number of births and/or birth sex ratio (male/total live births)) 9(±1) months later were sought in PubMed and Scopus and reported via standard guidelines. Database searches were conducted up to 7 November 2022. Results: Five events led to increased birth metrics 9(±1) months later and these included the Super Bowl, the 2009 UEFA Champions League, the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the 2016 UEFA Euros and the 2019 Rugby World Cup. Several la Liga soccer matches also had effects. With a few exceptions, major American football, Association football (soccer) and Rugby apex tournaments in Africa, North America, Asia and Europe were associated with increases in the number of babies born and/or in the birth sex ratio 9(±1) months following notable team wins and/or hosting the tournament. Furthermore, unexpected losses by teams from a premier soccer league were associated with a decline in births 9 months on. Conclusions: This systematic review establishes that major sporting tournaments have a notable impact on birth patterns, influencing both birth rates and sex ratios. Emotional intensification during these events likely triggers hormonal shifts, driving changes in sexual activity and subsequently shaping birth rates, often positively, about 9 months later. The context is crucial, especially when a region/country hosts a major single-sport tournament or participates for the first time, as population excitement is likely to be at its peak. These findings hold significance for healthcare planning and highlight the role of societal events in shaping demographic trends. PROSPERO registration: CRD42022382971.