ABSTRACT
Background: The impact of the corona pandemic on competitive sports has not yet been studied in a larger group of athletes. › Methods: Using an online questionnaire, junior and adult elite athletes from Germany and Austria were asked about their infection status, potential symptoms of COVID-19, and the impact of the pandemic on their athletic activity. › Results: Between April 21, 2020 and February 16, 2021, a total of 2981 questionnaires were recorded (50.3% female, 25.7% professional athletes, 37.9% national team members). 78 athletes (2.6%) reported a positive PCR test result for SARS-CoV-2. In addition, 67 (2.3%) athletes reported that they had experienced the disease but were self-diagnosed. In 19 athletes (0.6%), infection was suspected by a physician but without testing. 841 (28.2%) athletes stated that they were in quarantine at least once. At least one symptom that might be associated with COVID-19 was observed in 38.7% of all athletes. Cardiac symptoms were reported significantly more often in PCR-positive athletes than in the group of athletes without confirmed infection or no infection. 15 athletes (0.5%) were admitted to hospital due to COVID-19, 8 of them were hospitalized for more than 1 week. › Conclusion: The corona pandemic has a massive impact on competitive sports. In addition to indirect consequences due to quarantine measures or cancellation of competitions, infections with SARS-CoV-2 occurred in a significant proportion of athletes. Severe courses with hospitalization were also recorded among competitive athletes. © 2023, Dynamic Media Sales Verlag. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Review paper Effects of Application of Sports Management during Pandemic COVID-19to International Top Sports Football Club and Ultimate Fight Championship, based on the latest studies, relates to performance of structure of management of sport organizations during pandemic of COVID-19. Organizing sport competitions, tournaments, matches and trainings at this period of time, was considered as a great challenge, especially for the clubs which compete on international level. Additional challenge for sport organizations was compliance with epidemic measures dictated by WHO (World Health Organization). Focus analysis was related to organizing sport contents and responds to business and sports activities to pandemic of COVID-19 of international top-level sport football clubs, league of "five" and clubs of Ultimate Fight Championship. Analysis included of football clubs: F.C. Barcelona, F.C. Manchester United, AC Milan, F.C. Bayern M..nchen and F.C. Borussia Dortmund in relation to UFC teams: Straight Blast Gym Ireland, American Kick-box Academy (AKA), Xtreme Couture Mixed Martial Arts, American Top Team (ATT) of football and ultimate fight championship, during pandemic. Clubs, selected by method of random subject, based on sport results achieved on national levels of competition and four criteria were used, from domain of review papers, by PRISM methodology 1: all sources of data (magazines, published papers etc) in English;2. Period of organization of sport competitions and football matches during the pandemic of COVID-19;3. Evident differences, which occurred during pandemic COVID-19;4. Published papers are focused on business and organizational form. There is significant difference in obtained financial effects and different innovative solutions, which can be used as new experiences in further studies, were offered.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this dissertation was to study athletes' experiences during a year in which they have the potential to transition from recreational to competitive sport. Two studies are presented in this dissertation to support this aim. Study 1 was a scoping review of positive youth development through sport and athletic transition research and aimed to investigate how theory has informed research in these two bodies of literature. 207 articles and dissertations were included, and data was extracted according to Sandelowski's (1993) conceptualization of the uses, centrality, and function of theory in research. Main findings included: a limited body of literature that had examined youth athletes' experiences of transitioning into the athletic pathway;the breadth of developmental and non-developmental theoretical frameworks that have informed youth sport research;and that theories are predominantly used in a peripheral, rather than central manner to introduce youth sport as a developmental context, or to explain findings related to research outcomes. Study 2 was an example of how youth sport transitions can be studied from a developmental approach. Seven parent-child dyads took part in a longitudinal (one year), mixed methods case study to explore how children's transitions in sport influenced, and were influenced by, their psychosocial development. Children were aged between 8 and 12 (M = 10 years, SD = 1.3 years) and parents were aged between 42 and 51 (M = 44.9 years, SD = 5.1 years) at the start of the study. Participants completed measures of sports experiences, self-perceptions, and social competencies, as well as qualitative interviews at three timepoints during their potential transition. Results were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis and quantitative data was visually inspected in Microsoft Excel. Themes explore children's experiences related to their self-perceptions and social comparisons during the transition. Additional themes include the impact of physical maturation and the Covid-19 Pandemic for children's transitions in sport. Collectively, the studies included in this dissertation contribute a novel approach to reviewing youth sport research (namely, by analyzing the use of theory), and documented some of the psychosocial skills that are relevant when studying transitions among youth samples. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The Olympic Games continue to be a creator of adverse environmental impacts for host communities. Given the role that the Olympic Games play in sustainability due to their size, the number of people attending, new construction and infrastructure, and the extensive exposure by the media, this study investigated the Tokyo 2020 Games by evaluating the efficacy of their ecological sustainability efforts. Methods for this study were framed by the conceptual model of Muller et al. Specifically, the model is grounded on the three general aspects of sustainability: ecological, social, and economic. Compared to all Olympic events from 1992 through 2020, results from the present research indicated that Tokyo 2020 Olympics may have been the most ecologically friendly Games. This ecological record is significant, but it may be an unrealistic benchmark, given that the lack of attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced much of the ecological sustainability scores.
ABSTRACT
Membranous ventricular septal aneurysm (VSA) is an uncommon cardiac abnormality, potentially leading to several cardiac complications such as aortic valve prolapse, arrhythmias, and aneurysm rupture. A young competitive soccer player presented for a post-COVID sports cardiology assessment, denying any previous cardiological evaluations. On transthoracic echocardiography, a membranous VSA was incidentally found with no other cardiac abnormality nor hemodynamic impairment associated. A well-oriented anamnesis guided by echocardiographic findings revealed that a ventricular septal defect was diagnosed at birth with spontaneous closure at 4 years old. From that moment, no further follow-up was performed. Before granting cardiological approval to competitive sport, transesophageal echocardiography and Holter electrocardiogram were performed to confirm the absence of interventricular shunt and any other cardiac abnormality or arrhythmias associated with VSA. This case highlights the value of an accurate and comprehensive clinical and echocardiographic evaluation when performing a cardiological sports assessment, even in a young asymptomatic athlete.
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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted people's sports and physical activities. Many studies have examined these effects from different points of view. This study investigates the challenges of COVID-19 in sport for all, emphasizing Children's Sport and Physical Activity.
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This commentary serves to provide a rapid analysis of the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on sporting mass gatherings. The focus of this commentary surrounds sporting mass gatherings and strategies to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, with a particular focus on the UEFA EURO 2020 competition. Further references to the 2020 Olympic Games, and community recreational football are made. The intention is to stimulate discussion, analysis, interest and research on what the initial impact of COVID-19 has on sport. COVID-19 could fundamentally change the way sport operates in the future and requires further analysis. We hope this commentary provides an interesting record and reference point for future research and practice of those operating in sporting organisations. Learning lesson from this crisis, must ensure sport managers and practitioners are better prepared in sport and society for similar events in the future.
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The COVID-19 outbreak leads to the sudden lockdown of sports businesses across the world. Due to the difficulty of generating sports content as usual amid the global pandemic, some sports organizations around the world, resort to esports. Concretely, sports organizations let their professional athletes compete virtually in video games to produce competitive entertainment for the audience. Such "mixed" competitive entertainment attracts a high spectatorship and significant social media attention. This commentary seeks to provide a research-based explanation of the phenomenon and predict future developments.
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Research question: In 2019, women's sport was reported as being on the rise. Increased participation rates, media coverage, investment and support were evident. Following the spread of COVID-19 across the globe, which halted most forms of competitive sport, there were repeated concerns about the future of women's sport. This research aims to document elite sportswomen's perceptions of the state of women's sport pre-COVID-19 and the possible impact moving forwards. Research methods: Ninety five responses from an online, anonymous, qualitative questionnaire completed by elite sportswomen mainly based, in the UK, on the impact of COVID-19 on women's sport were collected. Data were subject to a thematic analysis, to determine key concerns, and the frequency data of responses were quantitatively recorded. Results and findings: Most sportswomen felt that women's sport was on an upward trajectory, but many juxtaposed that against inequality compared to men's sport in terms of media coverage and finance. There were concerns that the subordinate position women's sport, with less resources and support, will have severe implications post-COVID-19. However, there were considerations that a pause in sport would allow for personal development, increased participation upon sports return and space for a reconfiguration of sport. Implications: Those involved in sport are encouraged to think more critically about progress narratives in women's sport. We caution that these hide perpetual, structural and symbolic inequalities and propose that they are positioned more coherently within wider gender equity agenda. This is a process that will require widespread cultural change.
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The COVID-19 pandemic and the associated first lockdown measures may have had a relevant impact on the mental health of competitive athletes. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of various mental health issues in a Swiss elite athletes' cohort during the first lockdown of the pandemic, and to assess their association with different potential risk factors. Elite athletes from different disciplines were interviewed during the first lockdown in spring 2020 by means of an online questionnaire on symptoms of existing anxieties, depression and sleep disorders, as well as on training circumstances and physical performance before and during the lockdown. Additionally, the economic situation, secondary occupations and current physical health problems were surveyed. A total of 203 (92 female, 111 male) athletes met the inclusion criteria and participated in the survey. Training volume and intensity decreased significantly during lockdown from 3.1 to 2.7 h/day. Financial existential fears increased and were associated with higher training volumes and higher trait anxiety scores. Depressive symptoms and insomnia were present but not exceptionally frequent during the lockdown. Depressive symptoms were associated with higher anxiety scores, higher insomnia severity scores, lower training intensity and worse coping with the measures taken by the authorities against the pandemic. Changes in training and daily habits due to the first lockdown may have affected the mental health of elite athletes. Longitudinal studies should, however, further investigate the long-term effects of the pandemic on mental health.