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In 2019-2020 and 2020-2021, the COVID-19 pandemic led to unexpected behavioral restrictions, allowing only the individual training of the athletes. The purpose of the present study was to record the effects of a home-based training program on physical performance at a semi-professional level, after the Covid-19 confinement, in terms of external load. Twenty soccer players from one semi-professional team participated in this study. The data was collected by GPS devices, with an accelerometer and gyroscope, and a sampling rate 10Hz. The external load is evaluated by the total distance, the high-intensity runs, the sprint distance as well as the number of accelerations and decelerations. Three matches before and twelve games after the lockdown were analyzed and compared. During the confinement period, the players performed 5-6 training sessions per week. This period lasted over 4 four months. The training sessions were monitored by a free smartphone application. Similarly, the players communicated with the technical staff with a free internet application. The results showed significant increases (p < 0.05) in the total distance covered during the matches after the intervention. No significant increase in high-intensity runs and the number of accelerations were found (p > 0.05). The present data suggest that an intervention monitored by a free application could improve athletic performance at the semi-professional level, even after long-term abstinence from team training such as quarantine or off-season periods. These data might provide affordable solutions to the semi-professional soccer teams, which could be used during the off-season period leading to reduce detraining effects and higher performance in the forthcoming championship.
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The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of care, as well as the extent to which it is undervalued in Western societies, emphasising the instrumentalization and neoliberal logic that care is subject to. Since the 1970s, various feminist theorists have developed ethics of care. This evolving and controversial ethic has become a critical tool in sociology, philosophy, economics, and public policy analysis but is still underdeveloped in architecture and urban planning. This paper adopts the feminist ethic of care to analyse and criticise the evolution of a modernist social housing complex. The Cité de Droixhe was built in the 1950s to offer various facilities, 2000 rental social housing units, and vast green areas in Liège (Belgium). However, since its creation, it has undergone major transformations including the demolition of nearly 1000 units. In this qualitative inductive research, an interdisciplinary approach between architecture and social sciences was proposed, combining archival research, semi-structured interviews, and participatory observations. The ethic of care is mobilised both as a research and methodological posture and as an object of analysis. The data collected led to questioning the place of care in the evolution of the large complex under different themes: the facilitation of reproductive work, the valorisation of care professions, and the attention paid to proximity and the daily life of the neighbourhood inhabitants. By highlighting the integration and loss of care within the different transformations of the housing estate, this study shows the importance of reasserting the value of care and making it a collective responsibility, contributing to drawing perspectives for a more feminist, equal, and caring city.
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To this end, it is essential to look at the conditions that organizations create for these employees and the conditions in which employees work. [...]the aim of this article is to highlight the risks that are associated with ensuring such working conditions that will allow for increasing the motivation, satisfaction, and performance of employees of sports organizations in Slovakia. [...]a stress-reducing work atmosphere, appropriate interpersonal relationships and employee support are conducive to the achievement of set goals (Hobfoll 2002;Park et. al 2019). In this context, an adequate and functional risk management model appears to be a suitable tool, which will enable organisations to design and apply preventive and reactive measures aimed at minimising the negative impacts of risks and at the same time taking advantage of the opportunities offered to them more efficiently. A properly set up management system is seen as a crucial component of an organisation's continued success, while it also represents one of the internal methods that allow it to respond flexibly to a rapidly changing business environment (Hutchens et al. 2020;Neck et al. 2006;Stenling et al. 2006).
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Introduction: Brazil is ranked third in the world in fitness service billing, with 34,509 registered gyms. However, the COVID-19 pandemic brought challenges and a drop in this revenue. Consequently, the gyms were forced to adopt new management and marketing strategies to stay in the market facing the contemporary context. Background: To identify the sports marketing strategies used by gym managers in Ribeirao Preto, SP, Brazil, to keep and attract new customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A qualitative study was performed through semi-structured interviews, conducted through the Google Meet tool, recorded to be transcribed and analyzed. Results: Among the strategies used by the six managers interviewed stand out: gym safety and cleanliness as marketing;the prioritization of the relationship with customers as the main form of retention;the overuse of bonus marketing;packages and more attractive monthly fees to keep and at the same time attract new customers;and, also the use of social networks as the main form of attraction. The problems were similar among the managers, with at least 1/3 indicating the lack of a specific budget for marketing, centralized campaigns in other locations or franchises, inefficient live broadcasts, and traditional marketing with a very high cost. Final words: The managers needed to overcome the pandemic obstacles to plan and promote marketing strategies for gyms with different objectives, public, and size. There are still few studies on the relationship between marketing and Brazil's fitness market, highlighting the importance of more studies that address this theme.
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PurposeThe usage of sport stadia for public service is increasingly common and may come in different forms. In the COVID-19 pandemic, this included sport entities hosting mass COVID-19 vaccinations at their stadiums. The purpose of this study was to examine the branding effects of a COVID-19 mass vaccination center as communicated by (1) a sport entity (i.e. stadium and its two teams) and (2) the public.Design/methodology/approachThe authors analyzed the entity's social media messages related to the mass vaccination center for the three groups, the stadium and its two sports team tenants (N = 48) while comparing the public's social media content about the vaccination center (N = 187). An empirical material coding analysis was conducted.FindingsThe sport entity's posts revealed 12 codes, five categories and two themes communicated about their brand: In this together–community impact and showcasing brand attributes. The public posts analysis revealed 21 codes, eight categories and four themes, creating brand awareness, establishing/reaffirming brand attributes, affective response and in this together–community response.Originality/valueThe identification of the two organization themes and four public themes provided an initial examination of the mass vaccination efforts' impact on the sport entity's brand. With the rise of stadia being utilized as public service venues (e.g. voting centers and disaster shelters), the results of the study can provide guidance to communicating the host team's brand during these times. Results also suggest the public perception of such service reflected positive opportunities for brand exposure and subsequent effects for the teams.
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In recent years, with the continued promotion of the national fitness programme, the motivation of people of all ages to participate in daily fitness exercises has been significantly enhanced. The higher demand for national fitness obviously needs to be matched with more supply of sports venues and sports facilities. The lack of sports facilities in China has led to a growing conflict between the growing demand for sports and the relatively poor public sports services. As a major component of China's public sports facilities, school sports facilities are an important vehicle for the implementation of the national fitness programme. The opening of school sports facilities is directly related to the solid foundation of facilities and venues for the national fitness programme in China. This paper studies the opening of school sports facilities in the context of the national fitness programme, explores the difficulties and challenges faced by the opening of school sports facilities, and proposes practical countermeasures and suggestions for the opening of school sports facilities.
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This study aims to examine the nudging effect of the sports facility construction on physical exercise (PE) participation with consideration of the moderating role of mental health in China. Multiple linear regression models are used in this study. The subjects are 4634 from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data, which is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of Chinese individuals. We find that the construction of sports facilities nudges people to participate in PE, and gender, age, and education significantly influence people's participation in PE. Young, female, and better-educated people compose the "neo-vulnerable" population, who participate less in PE in China and need more interventions. Mental health status has no significant effect on people's PE participation, while it negatively moderates the nudging effect of the construction of sports facilities on PE. The results of this study suggest that only building sporting facilities is insufficient to encourage PE participation. Policies and interventions should be given to mentally disturbed individuals to guarantee and magnify the nudging effect of sports facilities on PE.
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Because of COVID-19, the indoor environmental quality (IEQ) in sports facilities has been a concern to environmental health practitioners. To develop an overall understanding of the available guidelines and standards and studies performed on IEQ in sports facilities, an extensive literature study was conducted, with the aim of identifying: (1) indicators that are being used to assess IEQ in different sports facilities;(2) indicators that are potentially interesting to be used to assess indoor air, in particular;(3) gaps in knowledge to determine whether sports facilities are safe, healthy and comfortable for people to stay and perform their activities. The outcome indicates that most current standards and previous investigations on IEQ in sports facilities mainly focused on dose-related indicators (such as ventilation rate), while building-related indicators (such as ventilation regime) and occupant-related indicators (such as IEQ preferences) were rarely considered. Little attention is given to the fact that ventilation systems may play an important role in the air quality of the location, and few investigations have been performed on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. This study recommends more research into both occupant and building-related indicators as well as cross-modal effects between various IEQ factors for developing future standards on sports facilities.
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[...]the 2020 ESEA conference was cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. [...]the 2020 PSA was awarded at the 2021 ESEA conference. The 2020 Peter Sloane Award Winner: Stefan Kesenne This article reiterates the award ceremony of the 2020 Peter Sloane Award, which was hosted online on August 26 at the 2021 ESEA Conference. Decision of the Award Committee After deliberation on a set of credible nominations, we settled on the preferred nomination of Stefan Kesenne, which was accepted by the ESEA Board. Stefan became a research assistant in 1973, was promoted to assistant professor in 1980, and subsequently became associate and full professor at the University of Antwerp (Belgium;previously Universitaire Faculteiten Sint-Ignatius Antwerpen [UFSIA]) where he taught labor economics, macroeconomics, econometrics, and sport economics. Since 1993, he was also associated with the KU Leuven (Belgium), where he taught several generations of students at the Faculty of Movement and Rehabilitation Sciences about the economics of sport.
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PURPOSE: this study aimed to examine the user satisfaction and reuse intention of the elderly for neighborhood sports facilities in South Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: this study surveyed 386 Korean elderly individuals aged ≥ 65 years, who were users of neighborhood sports facilities, from 1 May to 31 August 2022. A total of 386 questionnaires were used for data analysis, which was carried out using SPSS 23.0 statistical software. Descriptive statistics of the mean, standard deviation, and frequency distribution were used at the descriptive level. Moreover, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Scheffe's post hoc pair-wise comparison analysis, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis were used at the inferential level. The significance level of these tests was considered for less than 0.05. RESULTS: the mechanistic and humanistic service factors of neighborhood sports facilities affected user satisfaction and reuse intention. Furthermore, user satisfaction of the elderly during the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive effect on reuse intention. CONCLUSION: this study confirmed that the service quality characteristics of neighborhood sports facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive effect on user satisfaction and intention to continue to exercise among the elderly.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Intention , Aged , Humans , Personal Satisfaction , COVID-19/epidemiology , Pandemics , Republic of Korea/epidemiology , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
The transition from ICE to BEV taxis is one of the most important methods for reducing fossil fuel consumption and air pollution in cities such as Bangkok. To support this transition, an adequate number of charging stations to cover each area of charging demand must be established. This paper presents a data-driven process for determining suitable charging locations for BEV taxis based on their characteristic driving patterns. The location selection process employs GPS trajectory data collected from taxis and the locations of candidate sites. Suitable locations are determined based on estimated travel times and charging demands. A queueing model is used to simulate charging activities and identify an appropriate number of chargers at each station. The location selection results are validated using data from existing charging services. The validation results show that the proposed process can recommend better locations for charging stations than current practices. By using the traveling time data that take the current traffic condition into account, e.g., via Google Maps API, we can minimize the overall travel time to charging stations of the taxi fleet better than using the distance data. This process can also be applied to other cities.
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The convergence of sports and tourism industries is a vital direction for the coordinated development of industries, and a vital means to build a quality life circle suitable for living, working and traveling in the urban agglomeration of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). By using the coupling coordination degree model and exploratory spatial data analysis and establishing an evaluating indicator system for the converged development of sports and tourism industries, this paper measures and analyzes the convergence development level, spatial-temporal evolution, and spatial correlation of the two industries in 11 cities of GBA from 2011 to 2020. The results showed that the synthetical development level of the two industries in urban agglomeration of GBA was steadily rising, with significant differences in regional development, showing the east coast of GBA > the north coast of GBA > the west coast of GBA. The growth trend of industrial convergence degree is obvious, but the overall coupling coordination degree is not high, basically in the late maladjustment stage and transition stage. The convergence of the two industries shows a positive aggregation distribution in space, and the degree of agglomeration is rising. Cities around the Pearl River Estuary mostly belong to the “high-high” spatial association type, with obvious spillover effect, and become a significant growth pole for the converged development of the two industries in GBA. Cities in the periphery of GBA and the west coast of GBA mostly belong to the “low-low” and “low-high” spatial association types. Finally, sustainable development strategies are put forward from four aspects: spatial layout coordination, industrial division coordination, exchange platform coordination, and regional policy coordination, so as to promote the highly converged and coordinated development of the sports and tourism industries in the urban agglomeration of GBA.
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This article considers the future of guaranteed contract sums for aquatic and recreation facility management contracts now that closures and disruptions as a consequence of COVID-19 have resulted in so many being varied to such an extent that they may as well have been non-guaranteed/fee for service.
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Sports facilities are necessary for the practice of physical activity and these must comply with the minimum accessibility and safety requirements established to guarantee quality standards, as well as compliance with prevention and hygiene measures during the pandemic caused by COVID-19. The aim of this study was to analyse the degree of compliance with regard to the criteria of safety, accessibility and prevention and hygiene measures of sports facilities and equipment during COVID-19 in the Region of Murcia. To this end, a total of 34 sports facilities, 59 complementary spaces and 43 sports equipment were analysed, using a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional methodology. A total of seven ad hoc observation sheets were designed, comprising a total of 410 items and based on the applicable regulations and legislation in force. The results show that flooring is the sub-area with the highest degree of compliance, in toilets and changing rooms (89%) and in sports halls and fitness centres (92.14%). Signage and information show the lowest percentage of compliance in the three areas analysed, sports halls and fitness centres (65%), toilets and changing rooms (37%) and grandstands (42%). The analysis highlights the need to review and remedy the non-compliances detected in order to guarantee the quality of the sports facilities. Alternate : Las instalaciones deportivas son espacios necesarios para la práctica de la actividad física y estas deben de cumplir con los requisitos mínimos de accesibilidad y seguridad establecidos para garantizar los estándares de calidad, así como el cumplimiento de las medidas de prevención e higiene durante la pandemia motivada por la COVID-19. El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar el grado de cumplimiento respecto a los criterios de seguridad, accesibilidad y medidas de prevención e higiene de las instalaciones y equipamientos deportivos durante la COVID-19 en la Región de Murcia. Para ello, se analizaron un total de 34 instalaciones deportivas, 59 espacios complementarios y 43 equipamientos deportivos, empleando una metodología de carácter cuantitativo de corte descriptivo y transversal. Se diseñaron un total de siete hojas de observación ad hoc, compuestas por un total de 410 ítems y basadas en la normativa y legislación vigente aplicable. Los resultados ponen de manifiesto que el pavimento es la sub-área con mayor grado de cumplimiento, en servicios higiénico-sanitarios y vestuarios (89%) y en pabellones y centros fitness (92.14%). Mientras que la señalización e información muestran el porcentaje más bajo de cumplimiento en las tres áreas analizadas, pabellones y centros fitness (65%), servicios higiénicos y vestuarios (37%) y graderíos (42%). El análisis pone de manifiesto la necesidad de revisión y subsanación de los incumplimientos detectados, para garantizar la calidad de las instalaciones deportivas.Alternate :As instalações desportivas são espaços necessários à prática de atividade física e estas devem cumprir os requisitos mínimos de acessibilidade e segurança estabelecidos para garantir os padrões de qualidade, bem como o cumprimento das medidas de prevenção e higiene durante a pandemia provocada pelo COVID-19. O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar o grau de cumprimento dos critérios de segurança, acessibilidade e prevenção e higiene das instalações e equipamentos desportivos durante o COVID-19 na Região de Múrcia. Para tal, foram analisadas 34 instalações desportivas, 59 espaços complementares e 43 instalações desportivas, utilizando uma metodologia quantitativa descritiva e transversal. Foram elaboradas sete fichas de observação ad hoc, compostas por um total de 410 itens e baseadas na regulamentação e legislação vigentes. Os resultados mostram que o pavimento é a subárea com maior grau de conformidade, nos serviços higiênico-sanitários e vestiários (89%) e nos pavilhões e academias (92,14%). Enquanto a sinalização e as informações apresentam o menor percentual de conformidade n s três áreas analisadas, pavilhões e academias (65%), banheiros e vestiários (37%) e arquibancadas (42%). A análise destaca a necessidade de rever e corrigir as infrações detetadas, para garantir a qualidade das instalações desportivas.
ABSTRACT
Sports facilities are necessary for the practice of physical activity and these must comply with the minimum accessibility and safety requirements established to guarantee quality standards, as well as compliance with prevention and hygiene measures during the pandemic caused by COVID-19. The aim of this study was to analyse the degree of compliance with regard to the criteria of safety, accessibility and prevention and hygiene measures of sports facilities and equipment during COVID-19 in the Region of Murcia. To this end, a total of 34 sports facilities, 59 complementary spaces and 43 sports equipment were analysed, using a quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional methodology. A total of seven ad hoc observation sheets were designed, comprising a total of 410 items and based on the applicable regulations and legislation in force. The results show that flooring is the sub-area with the highest degree of compliance, in toilets and changing rooms (89%) and in sports halls and fitness centres (92.14%). Signage and information show the lowest percentage of compliance in the three areas analysed, sports halls and fitness centres (65%), toilets and changing rooms (37%) and grandstands (42%). The analysis highlights the need to review and remedy the non-compliances detected in order to guarantee the quality of the sports facilities.
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This paper demonstrates the need and potential for using waste heat recovery (WHR) systems from infrared gas radiant heaters, which are typical heat sources in large halls, due to the increasing energy-saving requirements for buildings in the EU and the powerful and wide-spread development of the e-commerce market. The types of gas radiant heaters are discussed and the classification of WHR systems from these devices is performed. The article also presents for the first time our innovative solution, not yet available on the market, for the recovery of heat from the exhaust gases of ceramic infrared heaters. The energy analysis for an industrial hall shows that this solution allows for environmental benefits at different levels, depending on the gas infrared heater efficiency, by reducing the amount of fuel and emissions for domestic hot water (DHW) preparation (36.8%, 15.4% and 5.4%, respectively, in the case of low-, standard- and high-efficiency infrared heaters). These reductions, considering both DHW preparation and hall heating, are 16.1%, 7.6% and 3.0%, respectively. The key conclusion is that the innovative solution can spectacularly improve the environmental effect and achieve the highest level of fuel savings in existing buildings that are heated with radiant heaters with the lowest radiant efficiency.
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Introduction: Labeling video games (e-sport) as sports is a controversial topic. Proponents argue that e-sports are a fast-growing "non-traditional sport" which requires "careful planning, precise timing, and skillful execution". Others claim that sports involve physical fitness and physical training, and prefer to classify esports as a mind sport (e.g. like chess). E-sports is a discipline that is gaining increasing popularity in the contemporary world. The effect of the increasing popularity of this area is the rapid development of the e-sports market, as well as the development of numerous organizations involved in e-sports. The growing importance of e-sports means that it could become an important element in the development of smart cities in the near future. The study will also discuss the definition of e-sports in law, the possibilities of financing e-sports by local governments and the threats related to e-sports. Material and methods: The article will include the analysis of legal definiotion of -esport and legal regulations which enable financing e-sport by towns and municipalities from different countries (dogmatic-legal method and comparative law method). Moreover, the article will also describe what benefits local governments could obtain from financing e-sport (e.g. promotion). Basic results, conclusions: Electronic sports will soon become an important element in the structure of Smart City 4.0. Financing e-sports by local government units brings measurable marketing and social benefits although it also carries risks (e.g. doping, corruption, video-game addiction). The bounds between e-sports and local government not only include digitization or development of new technologies, but also promotion of the city and many law problems which local goverment should solve.
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This article explores the opportunity to reform Australian sport, make it stronger, more resilient, and future-proof it, following the crises experienced by Australia in 2020 including the COVID-19 pandemic. It is argued that an integrated approach to the support and provision community participation and sport is needed now that the sector and the families have significantly limited resources. Funding from local government to community aquatic, recreation and sports facilities and the management models may also need to be reviewed.
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This article explains how cleaning of recreation, entertainment and sport venues in Australia faces a new array of challenges because of COVID-19.
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Risks to human health and the environment owing to pesticide usage have arisen interest, increasing the demand for reducing pesticide consumption used on golf courses. However, standard guidelines or manuals for reducing pesticide usage on golf courses in Korea are lacking. Herein, the trends of pesticides on golf courses were investigated, and the optimal pesticide usage plan was proposed for continuous pesticide reduction. In 2019, there were 539 golf courses in Korea. With the increasing number of golf courses in 2010–2019, pesticide usage increased continuously. Fungicides accounted for more than half the pesticides used, followed by insecticides and herbicides. Except for golf courses that do not employ chemical pesticides, pesticide usage per unit area varied in the range of 0.02–65.81 kg ha−1 (average of 6.97 kg ha−1). In the US, best management practices and integrated pest management (IPM) have been stipulated and are operational in each state for pesticide management in golf courses, recognizing chemical pesticide usage to be the last approach for pest control and turf health maintenance. Considering that Korea globally ranks 10th in the number of golf facilities and courses, the establishment of IPM practices suitable for domestic conditions is essential.