Phenomenological Probe on Senior High School Teachers’ Experiences in Teaching Sports Track During the Transition Years of Philippine K To 12 / Sondeo fenomenológico sobre las experiencias de los maestros de secundaria superior en la enseñanza de deportes de atletismo durante los años de transición de Filipinas K a 12

The Philippine education system is currently under transition due to the implementation of Republic Act 10533, also known as the Enhanced Basic Education Act. Since its enactment in 2013, physical education researchers have been examining the initial impact of this transition. Yet, investigations to determine teachers' challenges in the sports Track Program of the senior high school curriculum were barely sufficient. Hence, this research was conducted to probe the challenges of these teachers using a qualitative phenomenology research design. Research participants from selected schools in the Cotabato Province in the Philippines were involved in focus group discussions, in-depth interviews, and extensive field observation. Six significant concerns from the research participants transpired; these are difficulties with online learning, mismatched of students’ interests; unrealistic curriculum; inadequate facilities; overloaded teaching loads; and struggles of non-physical education graduates. The findings then served as crucial elements in drawing conclusions and recommendations to better implement the sports track program in the Philippine senior high school curriculum. (AU)

El sistema educativo filipino se encuentra actualmente en transición debido a la implementación de la Ley de la República 10533, también conocida como Ley de Educación Básica Mejorada. Desde su promulgación en 2013, los investigadores de educación física han estado examinando el impacto inicial de esta transición. Sin embargo, las investigaciones para determinar los desafíos de los profesores en el Programa de Pista deportiva del plan de estudios de la escuela secundaria superior fueron escasamente suficientes. Por lo tanto, esta investigación se llevó a cabo para sondear los desafíos de estos profesores utilizando un diseño de investigación de fenomenología cualitativa. Los participantes de la investigación de escuelas seleccionadas en la provincia de Cotabato en Filipinas participaron en discusiones de grupos focales, entrevistas en profundidad y una extensa observación de campo. Transcurrieron seis preocupaciones significativas de los participantes de la investigación; estos son: dificultades con el aprendizaje en línea; desajuste de los intereses de los estudiantes; plan de estudios poco realista; instalaciones inadecuadas; cargas de enseñanza sobrecargadas; y luchas de los no graduados en educación física. Luego, los hallazgos sirvieron como elementos cruciales para sacar conclusiones y recomendaciones para implementar mejor el programa de atletismo deportivo en el plan de estudios de la escuela secundaria superior de Filipinas. (AU)

Correlações, dependências e autonomias: elementos comparativos entre a lei Pelé e a política de esportes do Paraná / Correlations, dependencies and autonomies: comparative elements between the Pelé law and the Paraná sports policy

RESUMO A Constituição Federal de 1988 atribuiu ao Estado o dever de fomentar as práticas esportivas. A normatização do texto constitucional culminou com a Lei Pelé, que concedeu autonomia aos entes federativos na organização dos seus sistemas esportivos. Em 2018, o Estado do Paraná apresentou um conjunto de diretrizes ao esporte estadual na Política de Esportes do Paraná. Esse estudo exploratório e documental tem o objetivo de analisar como o governo paranaense vem exercendo a sua autonomia relativamente à Lei Pelé e o que pode ser evidenciado sobre sistemas e subsistemas esportivos na sua política. O ponto central está nos conteúdos da "Lei Pelé" e da "Política de Esportes do Paraná". O Modelo Advocatício de Coalizão (Advocacy Coalition Framework) subsidiou a análise e discussão. A investigação permitiu identificar elementos que evidenciam o sistema esportivo do Paraná, mas revelou falta de referências sobre subsistemas esportivos e pouca aderência à Lei Pelé.

ABSTRACT The Federal Constitution of 1988 assigned to the State the duty of promoting formal and non-formal sports practices. The regulation of the constitutional text culminated with the Pelé Law, which granted autonomy to federal entities in the organization of their sports systems. The State of Paraná presented a set of guidelines for state sports in the Sports Policy of Paraná, in 2018. The objective of this study was to identify evidence on local sports systems and subsystems as well as the possible intersections with the federal law. It is an exploratory research, having as reference the Pelé Law and the Paraná Sports Policy. For analysis we used the Coalition Advocacy Model and the concepts of vertical and horizontal coordination in public policies. The study allowed us to identify elements that evidence the sports system of Paraná, but revealed lack of references on the existence and functioning of sports subsystems and little alignment or adherence to the Pelé Law.

"O supremo tribunal das encrencas sportivas que é a liga mineira" e o cenário futebolístico em Belo Horizonte (1904 a 1933) / "The supreme court of sporting troubles that is the liga mineira" and the football scene in Belo Horizonte (1904 to 1933)

O presente artigo pretende analisar as tramas que contribuíram para a construção da entidade máxima do futebol mineiro, as Ligas Mineiras de futebol, no período de 1904 a 1933. Entendo que a história social de Belo Horizonte e os diferentes indícios encontrados na imprensa no período analisado demonstram a importância das entidades que regulavam o esporte em questão, num contexto de muitas disputas entre pessoas e instituições que pertenciam ao campo esportivo na cidade. As fontes consultadas foram os jornais disponíveis na capital mineira no período em questão, e que possibilitaram através da análise seriada dos documentos construir uma narrativa das experiências das pessoas que se envolviam no cenário futebolístico de Belo Horizonte nas primeiras décadas do século XX.

This article intends to analyze the plots that contributed to the construction of the maximum entity of Minas Gerais football, the Minas Gerais football leagues, in the period from 1904 to 1933. I understand that the social history of Belo Horizonte and the different signs found in the press in the analyzed period demonstrate the importance of the entities that regulated the sport in question, in a context of many disputes between people and institutions that belonged to the sports field in the city. The sources consulted were the newspapers available in the capital of Minas Gerais in the period in question, which made it possible, through the serial analysis of the documents, to build a narrative of the experiences of people who were involved in the football scene in Belo Horizonte in the first decades of the 20th century.

Era uma vez... a gênese e o desenvolvimento da Rede Cedes como experiência de gestão participativa do Ministério do Esporte do Governo Federal ­ 2003/2018 / Once upon a time... the genesis and development of the Cedes Network as a participatory management experience of the Ministry of Sport of the Federal Government - 2003/2018

Objetivou-se analisar a gênese e o desenvolvimento da Ação Programática/Programa Rede CEDES, da Secretaria Nacional de Desenvolvimento de Esporte e Lazer do Ministério do Esporte, visando identificar estratégias de gestão, seus resultados, bem como determinantes socioculturais, econômicos e políticos presentes. Estudo de natureza quali-quantitativa que reuniu pesquisa documental, bibliográfica e informações obtidas por entrevistas realizadas com gestores(as) e pesquisadores(as) participantes da experiência analisada. Identificamos uma experiência de Política Pública de Esporte e Lazer que prezou pela gestão participativa em rede e culminou na criação de Centros de Pesquisas em cada Unidade da Federação, que alcançaram resultados significativos, considerando sua diversidade, convivência entre o estruturado e o não estruturado, articulações, rede de conhecimento, formação e informação.

The aim of this study was to analyze the genesis and development of programmatic action - CEDES Network Program, of the National Secretariat for Sport and Leisure Development of the Ministry of Sport, in order to identify management strategies, their results, as well as sociocultural, economic and political determinants present. A qualitative-quantitative study that gathered documentary, bibliographic and information research obtained from interviews with managers and researchers participating in the analyzed experience. We identified an experience of public policy of sport and leisure that valued participatory management in network and resulted in the creation of Research Centers in each City of the Federation, and that produced significant results, considering their diversity, the coexistence between the structured and the unstructured, articulations, knowledge network, training, and information.

Sports as prescribed in latin american countries: overview and characteristics of laws / O esporte prescrito nos países da américa latina: panorama e características das leis

ABSTRACT This article aims to map and analyze the main sports laws and official government bodies that regulate and manage sports in Latin America, comprising the nature of the documents and their central constitutive elements, namely: title, year of creation, and general objectives. This is an exploratory and documentary study using critical-documentary analysis, the comparative method and the evidential paradigm as a theoretical-methodological approach. The sources are composed of the official sports laws of 19 countries in Latin America. The analyses allowed us to establish the following categories: a) countries whose sports laws are specific and contain only the term sports in their name; b) countries whose sports laws are identified with numbers; c) countries whose sports laws have mixed nomenclature. Twelve countries conceptualize sports in full in their documents. We perceive that the way sports are presented in the laws shows the signs and traces of how they are thought, seen and materialized. We understand that the laws are an important milestone for the development of Latin sports. Beyond the laws, we point out that it is of paramount importance that a medium- and long-term sports policy be thought out in each specific context.

RESUMO Este artigo objetiva mapear e analisar as principais leis esportivas e órgãos governamentais oficiais que regulamentam e gerem o esporte na América Latina, compreendendo a natureza dos documentos e seus elementos centrais constitutivos, a saber: título, ano de criação e objetivos gerais. Trata-se de um estudo do tipo exploratório e documental, utiliza a crítica-documental, o método comparativo e o paradigma indiciário como abordagem teórico-metodológica. As fontes são compostas pelas Leis esportivas oficiais de 19 países da América Latina. As análises nos permitiram estabelecer as seguintes categorias: a) países cujas leis esportivas são específicas e que contém apenas o termo esporte em seu nome; b) países cujas leis esportivas são identificadas com números; c) países cujas leis esportivas possuem nomenclatura mista. Doze países conceituam o esporte na íntegra em seus documentos. Percebemos que a maneira como o esporte é apresentado nas leis demonstra os sinais e rastros de como ele é pensado, visto e materializado. Entendemos que as leis se configuram como um importante marco para o desenvolvimento do esporte latino. Além delas, apontamos que é fundamental que seja pensada uma política esportiva a médio e longo prazo em cada contexto específico.

Association Between Design Elements of Concussion Laws and Reporting of Sports-Related Concussions Among US High School Athletes, 2009-2017.

OBJECTIVES: Studies that evaluate the effectiveness of concussion laws often use only a single variable (ie, presence of the law), failing to account for law complexity. We examined the association between multiple design elements of state concussion laws and rates of sports-related concussion reporting among US high school athletes. METHODS: We derived 3 design elements of concussion laws from the 2009-2017 LawAtlas database: (1) strength of law, (2) number of law revisions, and (3) speed of law adoption. We examined the association between these design elements and rates of new and recurrent sports-related concussion reporting from the 2009-2010 through 2016-2017 academic years in a nationally representative sample of high school athletes participating in High School Report Information Online, an online data collection tool. RESULTS: A total of 7064 sports-related concussions (6332 [89.6%] new and 732 [10.4%] recurrent concussions) were reported during the study period, with an overall rate of 39.7 sports-related concussions per 100 000 athletic exposures (eg, game or practice). Rates of new concussion reporting were higher among high schools in states with medium- or high-strength concussion laws than in states with low-strength concussion laws and in states with at least 1 concussion law revision than in states with no concussion law revisions. Rates of recurrent concussion reporting were lower among high schools in states with ≥2 concussion law revisions than in states with <2 concussion law revisions. Early law adoption was associated with higher rates of new and recurrent concussion reporting, and late law adoption was associated with lower rates of new and recurrent concussion reporting. CONCLUSION: Our findings may help inform legislators of the public health effect of concussion laws.

Sport activity in patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices: evidence and perspectives.

Demographic characteristics of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices have significantly changed during the last few years, according to the ageing of the population and the consequent increase in the number of elderly individuals with indication for pacemaker implant and, on the other hand, to the increased number of young individuals implanted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for the primary prevention of sudden death. More and more often, both elderly and young patients ask the physician to deal with the device in their daily activities, which often include sport practice. This latter is advisable because of its recognized benefits on cardiovascular prevention, although there are many limitations for patients with a cardiac implantable electronic device. Hence, the need to balance the patient's request with the appropriate precautions emerging from existing evidence. The current article aims to provide an overview of the most recent data on this topic, derived from registries and observational studies. Over the years an attempt to standardize recommendations has been made, but robust evidence is still lacking. Substantial differences exist between countries based on their sports regulations. Official recommendations of European and American Scientific Societies are resumed. The future perspective is to obtain data to allow these patients a safer practice of sport activity also through technological advances in terms of device materials and programming improvement and the possibility of remote monitoring.

Nationwide sports injury prevention strategies: A scoping review.

National strategies to prevent sports injuries can potentially improve health outcomes at a population level and reduce medical costs. To date, a compilation of the strategies that countries have attempted, and their effectiveness, does not exist. This scoping review sets out to: identify nationwide attempts at implementing sports injury prevention strategies; examine the impact of these strategies; and map them onto the Translating Research into Injury Prevention Practice (TRIPP) framework. Using Levac's scoping review method, we: (a) identified the research questions, (b) identified relevant studies, (c) identified the study selection criteria, (d) charted the data, and (e) reported the results. A search of MEDLINE, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases for articles published pre-June 2019 was conducted. We identified 1794 studies and included 33 studies (of 24 strategies). The USA (n = 7), New Zealand (n = 4), Canada (n = 3), the Netherlands (n = 3), Switzerland (n = 2), Belgium (n = 1), France (n = 1), Ireland (n = 1), South Africa (n = 1), and Sweden (n = 1) have implemented nationwide sports injury prevention strategies with 29 (88%) of the included studies demonstrating positive results. Mapping the strategies onto the TRIPP framework highlighted that only four (17%) of the 24 included strategies reported on the implementation context (TRIPP Stage 5), suggesting an important reporting gap. Nationwide sports injury prevention efforts are complex, requiring a multidimensional approach. Future research should report intervention implementation data; examine the implementation context early in the research process to increase the likelihood of real-world implementation success; and could benefit from incorporating qualitative or mixed research methods.

Prevention of Sport-Related Concussion.

Concussion remains a common injury among sports participants. Implementing risk-reduction strategies for sport-related concussion (SRC) should be a priority of medical professionals involved in the care of athletes. Over the past few decades, a multifaceted approach to reducing SRC risk has been developed. Protective equipment, rule and policy change/enforcement, educational programs, behavioral modifications, legislation, physiologic modifications, and sport culture change are a few of the programs implemented to mitigate SRC risk. In this article, the authors critically review current SRC risk-reduction strategies and offer insight into future directions of injury prevention for SRC.

Expenditure on sports and leisure by the government of the state of Piauí / Gasto na função desporto e lazer pelo governo do estado do Piauí

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to analyze the participation of the government of Piauí in the bottom-up funding of sport and leisure public policies from 2013 to 2017, embracing four aspects: (1) comparison of expenditure with tax revenue; (2) comparison of expenditure with other social agendas, notably Social Assistance and Culture; (3) identifying the spending behavior regarding subfunctions; (4) analyzing the efficiency in resource liquidation comparatively. Quantitative data were collected from the National Treasure website and submitted to descriptive statistics. In a conclusive manner, the study indicated that: (a) state government expenditure with the SLF is far shorter than the estimated by the II National Sport Conference; (b) expenditure has not followed the positive revenue variation during the period; (c) when compared to Social Assistance and Culture, Sport and Leisure has been the less considered area on the government's agenda; (d) there has been an abrupt chance in the government's agenda towards performance sport; (e) the government acts in an efficient way regarding the liquidation of planned resources.

RESUMO O presente trabalho buscou analisar a participação do governo do estado do Piauí no financiamento bottom-up das políticas públicas de esporte e de lazer de 2013 a 2017, contemplando quatro dimensões: (1) comparação do gasto com a receita tributária; (2) comparação do gasto com outras agendas da área social, notadamente Assistência Social e Cultura; (3) identificar o comportamento de gasto em termos de subfunções; (4) analisar comparativamente a eficiência na liquidação dos recursos. Os dados quantitativos foram buscados diretamente no site do Tesouro Nacional e submetidos à estatística descritiva. De forma conclusiva, o estudo indicou que: (a) o gasto na FDL do governo estadual está muito distante do pretendido pela II Conferência Nacional de Esporte; (b) o gasto não acompanhou a variação positiva da receita ao longo do período; (c) quando comparado com Assistência Social e Cultura, Esporte e Lazer foi a área de menor peso na agenda do governo; (d) houve uma mudança abrupta na agenda de governo em direção ao esporte rendimento; (e) o governo age de forma eficiente na liquidação dos recursos planejados.

A criação de um esporte brasileiro: o Futsac e sua articulação com o campo político / The creation of a brazilian sport: Futsac and its articulation with political field

RESUMO O Futsac é um esporte criado em Curitiba - PR em 2002, pelo empresário Marcos Juliano Ofenbock. A modalidade foi reconhecida oficialmente pelo Ministério do Esporte Brasileiro em 2014, em que demonstrou forte processo de inserção no meio político. O presente estudo mapeou os caminhos adotados pelo idealizador da modalidade nos campos políticos do Brasil. Os resultados da pesquisa apontaram que as relações estabelecidas pelo criador do Futsac com determinados membros das esferas legislativas e executivas, que já possuíam imagem vinculada ao meio esportivo no cenário curitibano e paranaense, facilitaram a estruturação legal da modalidade dentro do Ministério do Esporte.

ABSTRACT Futsac is a sport created in Curitiba - PR in 2002, by businessman Marcos Juliano Ofenbock. The modality was officially recognized by the Brazilian Ministry of Sports in 2014, where it demonstrated a strong process of insertion in the political environment. Our study mapped the paths adopted by the creator of Futsac in the political fields of Brazil. The results of our research showed that the relations established by the creator of Futsac with certain members of the legislative and executive spheres of Curitiba and Paraná political scenario, which already had an image linked to sports policies, facilitated the legal structuring of the modality within the Ministry of Sports.

Las personas trans e intersexuales en el deporte competitivo español: tres casos / The Transsexual and Intersex People in Spanish Competitive Sport: Three Cases

La concepción cultural del deporte como una actividad predominantemente masculina ha dificultado la participación de algunos grupos sociales como mujeres, personas trans o intersexuales. El carácter sexuado del deporte se apoya en las diferencias fisiológicas entre mujeres y hombres, y una supuesta desventaja de las mujeres. Por ello, se establecen pruebas de sexo para las mujeres y el acceso de las personas trans e intersexuales se ve obstaculizado. En este estudio reconstruimos, a partir de las normativas y el contexto socio-histórico internacional, la evolución de la participación de personas trans e intersexuales en el deporte competitivo contemporáneo. Asimismo, se profundiza en la aplicación y gestión de dichas normas en el contexto español, apoyado en tres casos de deportistas trans e intersexuales españoles. La discriminación y humillación que han sufrido estas personas obliga a mantener una visión crítica de las políticas deportivas creadas hasta la actualidad

The cultural conception of sport as a predominantly male activity has hindered the participation of some social groups such as women, transsexual or intersex people. The sexed nature of sport is based on physiological differences between women and men, and a supposed women disadvantage. Thus, sex controls are established for women and then trans and intersex people's access to sport is hampered. In this study we reconstruct, based on the regulations and the international socio-historical context, the evolution of the participation of transsexual and intersex people in contemporary competitive sport. Likewise, the application and management of these norms in the Spanish context is deepened, supported by three cases of Spanish transsexual and intersex athletes. The discrimination and humiliation suffered by these persons enforce to maintain a critical vision of the sports policies hitherto created

Prevalence of therapeutic use exemptions at the Olympic Games and association with medals: an analysis of data from 2010 to 2018.

OBJECTIVES: The percentage of athletes with Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) competing in elite sport and the association with winning medals has been a matter of speculation in the absence of validated competitor numbers. We used International Olympic Committee (IOC) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) data to identify athletes competing with TUEs at five Olympic Games (Games) and a possible association between having a TUE and winning an Olympic medal. METHODS: We used the IOC's competition results and WADA's TUE database to identify the number of TUEs for athlete competitions (ACs, defined as one athlete competing in one event) and any associations with medals among athletes competing in individual competitions. We calculated risk ratios (RR) for the probability of winning a medal among athletes with a TUE compared with that of athletes without a TUE. We also reported adjusted RR (RRadj) controlling for country resources, which is a potential confounder. RESULTS: During the Games from 2010 to 2018, there were 20 139 ACs and 2062 medals awarded. Athletes competed with a TUE in 0.9% (181/20 139) of ACs. There were 21/2062 medals won by athletes with a TUE. The RR for winning a medal with a TUE was 1.13 (95% CI: 0.73 to 1.65; p=0.54), and the RRadj was 1.07 (95% CI: 0.69 to 1.56; p=0.73). CONCLUSION: The number of athletes competing with valid TUEs at Games is <1%. Our results suggested that there is no meaningful association between being granted a TUE and the likelihood of winning a medal.

[Antidoping rules in equine sports and pharmacological aspects of rule-consistent medical treatment and feeding of sport horses]. / Anti-Doping-Regeln im Pferdesport und pharmakologische Aspekte der regelkonformen Therapie und Fütterung von Sportpferden.

Veterinarians play an essential role in the prevention of doping in equine sports, both as attending clinicians as well as official competition veterinarians. This complex task requires comprehensive knowledge concerning the pertinent regulations. These include official laws, such as the animal protection and medicines laws as as well as rules issued by the responsible equine sports authority. Furthermore, veterinarians are required to determine adequate withdrawal times following the legitimate use of medications in sport horses. This may be performed by applying appropriate data published by the respective equestrian sports authorities. In case such data is not available, pharmacokinetic heuristics elucidated in this article may be utilized in order to define suitable withdrawal times. Furthermore, veterinarians are recommended to advise horse owners concerning the risk of feed contaminants that may cause inadvertent positive anti-doping samples. In this context, the prevention of botanical contaminations in roughage is of importance in central Europe. Official veterinarians fulfil the task of anti-doping sampling during competitions. In order to guarantee a correct procedure, precautions for the avoidance of sample contamination are warranted and correct identification of the samples must be ensured. These procedures are described by means of the rules of the German Equestrian Federation.

Sudden Death Associated With Sickle Cell Trait Before and After Mandatory Screening.

BACKGROUND: Sickle cell trait (SCT) has been associated with an increased risk of sudden death in athletes during strenuous exercise. In August 2010, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) began requiring athletes to be screened for SCT, provide proof of SCT status, or sign a waiver and launched an educational campaign for athletes, coaches, and medical staff. The impact of this program is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of death associated with sickle cell trait (daSCT) in NCAA athletes before and after legislation. HYPOTHESIS: NCAA SCT legislation will decrease the incidence of daSCT. STUDY DESIGN: Observational study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 2. METHODS: A database of NCAA athlete deaths from 2000 to 2019 was reviewed for daSCT. A total of 8,309,050 athlete-years (AY) were included. Incidence of death was calculated before and after legislation. RESULTS: The incidence of daSCT in Division I (DI) football athletes before legislation (n = 9) was 1:28,145 AY and after legislation (n = 1) was 1:250,468 AY (relative risk [RR], 0.112; 95% CI, 0.003-0.811; P = 0.022), an 89% reduction in risk after legislation was enacted. The incidence of daSCT in African American DI football athletes before legislation (n = 9) was 1:12,519 AY and after legislation (n = 1) was 1:118,464 AY (RR, 0.106; 95% CI, 0.002-0.763; P = 0.017), also an 89% risk reduction after legislation was enacted. For all NCAA athletes, the incidence of daSCT was 1:489,749 AY before legislation (n = 10) and 1:1,705,780 AY after legislation (n = 2) (RR, 0.288; 95% CI, 0.031-1.347; P = 0.146). CONCLUSION: The incidence of daSCT in DI football athletes has decreased significantly since legislation was enacted. Cases of daSCT outside of football are rare. It is unclear whether the decrease is related to screening for SCT, education, or both. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This is the first evidence that NCAA SCT legislation may save lives.

Cannabis Use and Sport: A Systematic Review.

CONTEXT: Cannabis use has increased, in large part due to decriminalization. Despite this increase in usage, it remains unclear what proportion of athletes use cannabis and what effect it has on athletic performance and recovery. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review cannabis use among athletes, including epidemiology, effect on performance and recovery, and regulations for use in sport. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases were queried from database inception through November 15, 2018. A hand search of policies, official documents, and media reports was performed for relevant information. STUDY SELECTION: All studies related to cannabis use in athletes, including impact on athletic performance or recovery, were included. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. DATA EXTRACTION: Demographic and descriptive data of included studies relating to epidemiology of cannabis use in athletes were extracted and presented in weighted means or percentages where applicable. RESULTS: Overall, 37 studies were included, of which the majority were cross-sectional studies of elite and university athletes. Among 11 studies reporting use among athletes (n = 46,202), approximately 23.4% of respondents reported using cannabis in the past 12 months. Two studies found a negative impact on performance, while another 2 studies found no impact. There was no literature on the influence of cannabis on athletic recovery. Across athletic organizations and leagues, there is considerable variability in acceptable thresholds for urine tetrahydrocannabinol levels (>15 to 150 ng/mL) and penalties for athletes found to be above these accepted thresholds. CONCLUSION: Overall, these results suggest that approximately 1 in 4 athletes report using cannabis within the past year. Based on the available evidence, cannabis does not appear to positively affect performance, but the literature surrounding this is generally poor. Given the variability in regulation across different sport types and competition levels, as well as the growing number of states legalizing recreational cannabis use, there is a need to improve our understanding of the effects of cannabis use on the athlete and perhaps adopt a clearer and overarching policy for the use of cannabis by athletes in all sports and at all levels.

The Elephant in the room: What can we learn from California regarding the use of sport hunting of pumas (Puma concolor) as a management tool?

Puma (Puma concolor) management in the western United States is highly contentious, particularly with regard to the use of sport hunting as a management tool. Since the 1970s, puma in ten western states have been managed by state fish and game agencies through the use of a sport hunt. The rationale presented by wildlife managers is that sport hunting, in addition to providing recreational hunting opportunities, also reduces threats to human safety and livestock safety, and increases populations of the puma's ungulate prey, namely deer (Odocoileus sp.) and elk (Cervus elepus). We evaluated these claims using the state of California as a control, which has prohibited sport hunting since 1972, and employing data obtained from state and federal agencies with authority and control over puma management. Specifically, we tested four hypotheses: 1) sport hunting will suppress puma populations, 2) sport hunting will reduce the number of problematic puma-human encounters; 3) sport hunting will reduce puma predation on domestic livestock, and 4) sport hunting will reduce the impact of puma predation on wild ungulate numbers, resulting in increased hunting opportunities for the sport hunt of ungulates. Our results indicated, respectively, that relative to the 10 states where puma are hunted, California had 1) similar puma densities, 2) the 3rd lowest per capita problematic puma-human encounters, 3) similar per capita loss of cattle (P = 0.13) and a significantly lower (t = 5.7, P < 0.001) per capita loss of sheep, and 4) similar average deer densities while changes in annual deer populations correlated with changes in other states (F = 95.4, P < 0.001, R2 = 0.68). In sum, our analysis of the records obtained from state and federal wildlife agencies found no evidence that sport hunting of pumas has produced the management outcomes sought by wildlife managers aside from providing a sport hunting opportunity. Consequently, and particularly because other research suggests that sport hunting actually exacerbate conflicts between pumas and humans, we recommend that state agencies re-assess the use of sport hunting as a management tool for pumas.