Factors Influencing the Health of Participants in Religious Mass Gathering Ceremonies in Iraq: A Systematic Review

Introduction: In the last decade, the number of religious mass gathering ceremonies, which take place in Iraq, has increased considerably. Millions of participants visit the country annually from across the world to reach Karbala on foot or by other vehicles for participation in a religious ritual called Arbaeen, which lasts about 20 days. Unlike the Hajj mass gathering, another important annual religious mass gathering event of Muslims, an evidence-based review of scientific literature about influential factors on the health of participants in these ceremonies in Iraq has not been done.Methods: Using PRISMA guidelines and searching PubMed, Scopus, ISI_Web of Science, Cochrane Library, ProQuest, and Google Scholar databases, original English language studies focused on participants' health in religious ceremonies of Iraq until October 2021 were selected. The methodological quality of the studies and the risk of bias were checked using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) checklists. In addition, the data from the Iraqi Ministry of Health and other organizations, including WHO and CDC, about Iraq's health condition and other resources were used to describe the related findings better and make health recommendations for the participants.Results: Thirty-two studies passed our criteria and were included for analysis. There was not any clinical trial. All of them were observational (cross-sectional) or qualitative (interview) research;the majority had low to moderate quality scores. Considering the limitations, the leading health risks of participants in religious ceremonies in Iraq include road accidents, insufficiency of Iraq's health system, cardiovascular disease, respiratory tract (including Covid-19) infections, unhealthy food and drink, gastrointestinal infections (including hepatitis), and zoonotic infections(leishmaniasis).Conclusion: Regarding the grandeur of Iraqi-related mass gatherings, preparation must begin before the events. Pre-participation examination, vaccination of high-risk individuals, and training of pilgrims and authorities on the health hazards are critical.

Special Issue: Diet and nutraceuticals for mental and physical performance in athletes. (Special Issue: Diet and nutraceuticals for mental and physical performance in athletes.)

This supplement containing 7 articles stresses the importance of diet and selected nutraceuticals that may impact both the physical and mental performance of athletes. The past 2.5 years living with the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic have taxed all of us mentally and possibly to a greater extent in the athletic population. While life in general has returned to some form of normalcy for many, emerging from this pandemic has alerted us to the importance of vaccines and physical-distancing measures, especially as they relate to sport. The return of organized sport at all levels has also underscored the important roles that exercise and sport play in the lives and mental health of everyone, including athletes. The goal of this supplement is to provide recent information that will help athletes achieve optimal physical and mental performance in their chosen sport.

Event satisfaction and interdependent happiness in sports volunteers: focused-on a triathlon event during the COVID-19 pandemic

Sports volunteers play an important role in sports event management. There are various motivations for the participants of sports volunteer activities. In particular, the occurrence of sports events has significantly decreased due to the impacts of COVID-19. At the same time, consideration should be given as to whether it is possible to find value and reward from volunteer activities or not. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between event satisfaction and interdependent happiness in sports volunteers. This research focused on sports volunteers of the 2021 Asia Triathlon Championships Hatsukaichi. The data was collected from 163 participants, with a significant response rate of 48.9%. The average respondent age was 54.0 years old, 123 respondents were male (75.5%), and 40 respondents were female (24.5%). The result of multiple regression was significant (F = 3.28, p < .01) and it accounted for 20% of the interdependent happiness. The predictors of socio-demographics were not deemed significant. On the other hand, event satisfaction was significant (p < .01) with regard to independent happiness. This research utilized the relationship between event satisfaction and independent happiness through structural equation modeling. The result of Structural Equation Modeling was significant at the .10% level. In sum, event satisfaction was significant in regard to independent happiness. This result shows a possibility to help understand the value of sports volunteers. Additionally, sports events in the community are expected to have not only an economic impact, but also, contribute to the sustainable social developments of the community.

Paralympic boccia in Brazil: use of coping strategies by athletes during the COVID-19 pandemic

The measure of physical isolation adopted during a pandemic affected the daily routine of the whole world, including in the sports environment. Therefore, the study sought to compare the coping strategies used by Paralympic boccia athletes during the pandemic period. The sample consisted of 43 athletes (30 men and 13 women) aged 29.95-11,76 years. To identify and measure coping strategies, the ACSI-28 (athletic coping skills inventory) questionnaire was used in its version adapted to Portuguese and added to an electronic form. In data analysis, normality was verified by the Shapiro-Wilk test. After that, all inferential comparison analyzes were measured via nonparametric statistical tests with paired post-hoc DSCF tests. Thus, the results showed that there were significant differences between comparisons in terms of experience, "+10 years", "5 to 10 years", and "1 to 3 years" on the subscales "goals and mental preparation" (6.00+or-1.75 vs 5+or-1.50 vs 5+or-1.50;p<0.05;ES: 0.26) and "trainability" (9.00+or-3.25 vs 6.00+or-0.500 vs 8.00+or-3.00;p<0.05;ES: 0.19). More and less experienced athletes in the boccia modality showed superiority in facing the pandemic period, as they obtained better indices in the "goals and mental preparation and trainability" dimensions of coping strategies compared to their peers with less experience.

Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination on Short-Term Perceived Change in Physical Performance among Elite Athletes: An International Survey.

COVID-19 vaccination raised concerns about its potential effects on physical performance. To assess the impact of COVID-19 vaccination on the perceived change in physical performance, we conducted an online survey among elite athletes from Belgium, Canada, France and Luxembourg, with questions about socio-demographics, COVID-19 vaccination, perceived impact on physical performance and perceived pressure to get vaccinated. Full vaccination was defined as two doses of mRNA or vector vaccine or a heterologous vaccine scheme. Among 1106 eligible athletes contacted, 306 athletes answered the survey and were included in this study. Of these, 72% perceived no change in their physical performance, 4% an improvement and 24% a negative impact following full COVID-19 vaccination. For 82% of the included athletes, the duration of the negative vaccine reactions was ≤3 days. After adjustment for potential confounding variables, practicing an individual sport, a duration of vaccine reactions longer than 3 days, a high level of vaccine reaction and the perceived pressure to get vaccinated were independently associated with a perceived negative impact on physical performance of more than 3 days after the vaccination. The perceived pressure to get vaccinated appears to be a parameter associated with the negative perceived change in the physical performance and deserves further consideration.

Effects of application of sports management during the pandemic COVID-19 to international top sports clubs football and ultimate fight championship

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.

Examining the influence of mindset skills on athletic success and happiness of college football players

Building on recent research in high performance mindsets and their correlation to high performing people in the workplace, academic success as well as athletic performance, this study aimed to examine the happiness of high performing people. This study examines the relationship between the noncognitive skills of self-awareness, self-discipline, internal locus of control with sport performance, growth mindset and happiness of college football players during the COVID-19 pandemic school year. Participants were 99 undergraduate college football players from four different private universities within the United States. The results indicated that year in school predicted athletic performance. The mindset skills of intrinsic motivation, grit, and hope will help student athletes to stay in their athletic programs which in turn will lead to a higher level of performance. Student athletes that trust the process and remain in the program longer will have a greater likelihood of higher athletic achievement. Year in school along with internal locus of control predict growth mindset among participants. Self-awareness and internal locus of control were significant predictors of happiness amongst participants. College athletes and college students in general need learning opportunities in the mindset skills of self-awareness and internal locus of control. These mindset skills will help them balance their busy lives, maintain a growth mindset and be happy. Curriculum around these mindset skills needs to continue to be developed and tested for effectiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Olympic Games, media coverage and brand image/performance from fan and gender perspectives

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore and test certain assumptions concerning the role of the media in its coverage of the Olympic Games, US men's and women's basketball in particular, and its perceived impact on brand image of the athletes' performance from a fan's motivational and financial perspective.Design/methodology/approachUses and gratifications theory and sport fan motivation scales were used to identify potential impacts of media coverage and branding on athletic performance. Based on a study of 143 working professionals that identified themselves as Olympic sport fans in the Pittsburgh, PA metropolitan area, several hypotheses were tested.FindingsThe most to least important factor-based constructs found from a PCA (Principal Components Analysis)/factor analysis included competitiveness, fan commitment, media connections, media impacts, demographics and financial impacts. When using the construct athletic performance at the Olympic level as the dependent variable, results suggested that competitiveness, media connections and fan commitment were significant for males only, while only media connections for significant for females. Males were found to be more player-centric than females, willing to be more focused on the competitive nature of the Olympic Games and to dedicate more money for such activities.Originality/valueFocusing on Olympic Games and associated athletes' competitive nature opens a unique perspective from fan's gender perspective.

Psychological analysis of injuries in a first category softball national championship in Cuba

Introduction: the systematic analysis of the relationships between relevant psychological variables for sports performance and injuries is essential to contribute to their prevention in specific sports. Material and methods: a descriptive-correlational and cross-sectional study was carried out in the first category women's national softball championship in Cuba. 88 athletes participated with an average chronological age of 22.91 (SD=6.13) and a sports experience of 10.83 years (SD=4.92). A specific questionnaire, the Competitive Sport Anxiety Inventory and the Psychological Inventory of Sport Execution was applied. Descriptive statistics and Kendall's Tau_b nonparametric correlation coefficient was used for data analysis. Results: A high injury load was verified with a low perception of the role of psychological factors in its etiology, as well as a notable occurrence of new injuries with negative emotional repercussions. Negative correlations of self-confidence, negative coping control, visual-imaginative control, positive coping control, and attitude control with history of injuries were obtained. The high anxiety showed significant relationships with previous injuries and new injuries during the analyzed competition. Conclusions: the findings are especially congruent with previous results in elite softball players, although new and greater relationships between variables were determined. All this means that stimulating psychological skills to control anxiety in competition could contribute to the prevention of injuries. However, longitudinal analyzes are required to confirm the predictive role of these variables before proposing psychological interventions in this regard.

Do contextual factors, tournament level, and location affect external match load in elite Brazilian youth soccer players?

Objective: The present study compares the external load of a Brazilian first-division U-20 team match between the tournament level (regional vs. national) and the match's location (home or away). Methods: Thirty-five athletes from a U-20 team belonging to the same Brazilian first-division team participated in the study (age=19.1 ±0.58 years;body mass=70.1 ±7.64 kg;height=176.1 ±6.28 cm). Twenty-eight games belonging to the national championship (14 Brasileirão matches) and regional championship (14 Carioca state matches) were analyzed, following these external load variables through a global positioning system: Total distance traveled (TD), player load (PL), distance traveled >20 km/h, distance traveled >25km/h, the number of accelerations and decelerations > 2 m/s2 (AD2) and >3 m/s2 (AD3) and the number of Repeat High-Intensity Efforts (RHIE). A two-factor ANOVA compared the tournament level and the match's location, and the effect size (ES) was verified, considering p≤0.05. Results: Significant differences were found in TD (F=3.42 and ES=0.7), PL (F=4.2 and ES=0.8), D20 (F=2.87 and ES=0.67), AD3 (F=6.49 and ES=0.97), RHIE (F=14.6 and ES=1.18) and in AD2 (F=10.1 and ES=1.24). No effects were found according to location or interaction effects (p>0.1). Conclusion: Findings indicated that the tournament type impacts the external match load - with higher effort values in the national tournament. The location did not affect the external load, but further studies are required to corroborate these results due to the lack of public presence because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The following data may be helpful for the coaching staff to consider this factor when planning and programming the training load concerning the tournament in which they are participating. © JPES.

Examining the influence of mindset skills on athletic success and happiness of college football players

Building on recent research in high performance mindsets and their correlation to high performing people in the workplace, academic success as well as athletic performance, this study aimed to examine the happiness of high performing people. This study examines the relationship between the noncognitive skills of self-awareness, self-discipline, internal locus of control with sport performance, growth mindset and happiness of college football players during the COVID-19 pandemic school year. Participants were 99 undergraduate college football players from four different private universities within the United States. The results indicated that year in school predicted athletic performance. The mindset skills of intrinsic motivation, grit, and hope will help student athletes to stay in their athletic programs which in turn will lead to a higher level of performance. Student athletes that trust the process and remain in the program longer will have a greater likelihood of higher athletic achievement. Year in school along with internal locus of control predict growth mindset among participants. Self-awareness and internal locus of control were significant predictors of happiness amongst participants. College athletes and college students in general need learning opportunities in the mindset skills of self-awareness and internal locus of control. These mindset skills will help them balance their busy lives, maintain a growth mindset and be happy. Curriculum around these mindset skills needs to continue to be developed and tested for effectiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Controlled Evaluation of a Sport-Specific Performance Optimization Program in a Biracial Black and White Athlete Diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorder and Agoraphobia

There are a very limited number of sport-specific mental health and sport performance interventions available for athletes of color. This study examined The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS) in a biracial adolescent athlete who was diagnosed with Agoraphobia and Social Anxiety Disorder. A multiple-baseline across behaviors case trial design was used to evaluate outcomes. A battery of psychological measures specific to mental health and sport performance was administered at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. Social skill sets (i.e., positive assertion and negative assertion) were systematically targeted sequentially in a virtual format using HIPAA compliant video-conferencing technology to safeguard against contracting COVID-19. Results demonstrated improvement in negative and positive assertion skills when targeted by the intervention. Severity of concurrent symptoms associated with Social Anxiety Disorder and Agoraphobia Symptoms, general psychiatric functioning, relationships with coaches, teammates and family, and factors interfering with sports performance improved from pre- to post-intervention. These improvements were maintained at the 3-month follow-up. Athlete ratings indicated their satisfaction with TOPPS was high, and intervention components were implemented with high integrity. Copyright © The Author(s) 2022.

IMPACT OF PERSISTENT COVID-19 SYMPTOMS ON PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND CARDIORESPIRATORY PERFORMANCE IN VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS

SESSION TITLE: Late Breaking Chest Infections Posters SESSION TYPE: Original Investigation Posters PRESENTED ON: 10/18/2022 01:30 pm - 02:30 pm PURPOSE: The science continues to develop in terms of the epidemiology of persistent, or long COVID, especially in the pediatric population. The impact of persistent COVID-19 on cardiorespiratory fitness in the form of physical activity and athletic performance among children/adolescents is not well described, especially among vulnerable populations. METHODS: A retrospective electronic health record review identified children/adolescents with previously diagnosed COVID (N=312, 52.9% male, mean age at diagnosis 6.6 [SD 5.9] years, 20.5% non-Hispanic White [NHW], 19.2% non-Hispanic Black [NHB], and 54.5% Hispanic, 85.26% hospitalized due to COVID-19 illness) from one pediatric healthcare system that serves predominantly Medicaid-dependent families. Patients or caregivers completed a follow-up telephone survey from March 2021- February 2022 to estimate the prevalence of persistent COVID symptoms, defined as the presence of symptoms lasting ≥ 30 days. Multiple logistic regression models explored the association between physical activity and the presence of long COVID. RESULTS: 71 (22.8%) patients reported long COVID and the most prevalent symptoms included tiredness (21 [6.7%]), shortness of breath (18 [5.8%]), cough (16 [5.1%]), headache (14 [4.5%]), difficulty with thinking/concentration (14 [4.5%]), disrupted sleep (14 [4.5%]), other symptoms (12 [3.8%]), anxiety (11 [3.5%]), body aches (11 [3.5%]), joint pain (10 [3.2%]) chest pain (9 [2.9%]), intermittent fever (6 [1.9%]), and loss taste/smell (5 [1.6%]). Almost a third (32%, N = 24) of patients who participated in any athletics or physical activity in or outside of school reported a negative impact on physical or athletic performance, and 66.7% reported it was directly related to COVID-19 illness. Specific complaints when returning to physical activity post-COVID illness included tiredness (7 [36.8%]) and shortness of breath (2 [10.5%]). The odds of a decline in physical activity performance was over twice that (OR 2.17, 95% CI 0.54-8.71, p = 0.28) among children with long COVID versus those reporting no long COVID after adjusting for demographics. There was no difference by age (mean 9.8 vs. 9.7 years, p = 0.93), sex (50% girls vs. 50% boys, p =0.71), or race/ethnicity (25% NHW vs. 25% NHB vs. 37.5% Hispanic, p = 0.25) in terms of decline in physical activity performance. Two children were recommended to delay re-entry into physical activity. CONCLUSIONS: A substantial proportion of ethnically diverse children from low resource backgrounds who had severe COVID illness are reporting long-term impacts on physical activity and cardiorespiratory fitness. Findings can inform pediatricians about this vulnerable population in post-COVID-19 recovery efforts. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: Pediatric pulmonologists and other sub-specialists should screen and monitor patients who have had previous severe COVID-19 illness for persistent cardiorespiratory impacts. DISCLOSURES: No relevant relationships by Kubra Melike Bozkanat No relevant relationships by Jackson Francis No relevant relationships by Weiheng He No relevant relationships by Alejandra Lozano No relevant relationships by Matthew Mathew No relevant relationships by Sarah Messiah No relevant relationships by Angela Rabl No relevant relationships by Sumbul shaikH No relevant relationships by Nimisha Srikanth No relevant relationships by Apurva Veeraswamy No relevant relationships by Sitara Weerakoon No relevant relationships by Luyu Xie

Impact of Sudden Rule Changes on Player Injuries and Performance: Insights from Australian Football.

This study investigated the effects of reduced quarter time due to COVID-19 pandemic rule changes, on running performance and injuries in Australian Football. Microsensor data for eight matches performed by the same 17 players were compared between the 2019 (standard) and 2020 (COVID-19) seasons using linear and generalised mixed models. Injury rates were assessed in 34 players across the full 2019 season, and 32 players across the full 2020 season. The total distance (ES = 1.28 [0.55 to 2.02]), high-speed (>18 km/h) (ES = 0.44 [-0.24 to 1.12]) and very highspeed (>24 km/h) (ES = 0.27 [-0.41 to 0.94]) distances, PlayerLoad™ (ES = 0.96 [0.25 to 1.67]), high-intensity efforts (ES = 0.48 [-0.20 to 1.16]), and accelerations (ES = 0.33 [-0.34 to 1.01]) were smaller (p ≤ 0.01) for the 2020 than the 2019 season. Expressed relative to playing time, distance (ES=-0.38 [-1.06 to 0.30]), PlayerLoad™ (ES = -0.27 [-0.94 to 0.41]), and acceleration efforts (ES = -0.50 [-1.18 to 0.18]) were greater (p < 0.05) for the 2020 than the 2019 season. No significant differences in maximum ball-in-play periods nor the difference between the 1^st and 4^th quarters were evident. Injury rates remained similar between 2019 (3.36 per game) and 2020 (3.55 per game). However, the proportion of injuries that led to lost time (missed games) was greater for the 2020 (38%) than 2019 season (24%). The changes in the rules had a profound impact on player performance and increased the likelihood of time loss injuries.

Use of Masks for Youth Sports Participation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross Sectional Survey

Background: The use of cloth and surgical face masks has been shown to decrease the rate of COVID-19 transmission. As COVID19 cases increased in the United States, many youth sports organizations implemented masking requirements with the goal of limiting the spread of the virus. However, the use of masks during athletic activity remains controversial. We surveyed young athletes between the ages of 12 and 18 in order to understand their attitudes towards mask wear during youth sports and to determine patterns of mask wear and sports participation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We recruited participants from pediatric outpatient sports medicine clinics and invited them to complete an online survey administered via REDCap. The survey included 9 items that used a Likert-type scale to determine agreement with statements about masking during sports. An additional 5 multiple choice items asked about sports participation and assessed patterns of mask use during athletics. Results: We collected 82 responses between February and June of 2021. All athletes reported that masks were required for some part of their sports participation. The majority of respondents (59%) reported that masks were mandatory for all sports activities, while 15% reported compulsory mask use only when athletes were close to each other. An additional 19% of athletes were required to wear masks when congregating but not exercising (e.g. on the sidelines or in the locker rooms). Most athletes (51%) strongly or somewhat agreed that mask use during sports would make other athletes or coaches less likely to get infected with COVID. However, only 36% of respondents agreed that masks offered self-protection against infection. Thirty-eight percent of athletes somewhat or strongly agreed that masks are comfortable to wear during sports, while 48% disagreed. Forty-four percent of participants felt that mask use interfered with their sports performance. Thirty-four percent of respondents agreed with the statement that mask use during sports is dangerous with 43% in disagreement. When asked to rate concurrence with the statement “I am willing to wear a mask if it allows me to participate in sports and physical activities”, 62% of participants somewhat or strongly agreed while 30% disagreed. Forty-four percent of young athletes reported their sports participation time decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, while 28% reported increased participation. Conclusion: Mask use is an important strategy in preventing the spread of COVID-19. Most young athletes recognize that mask use reduces transmission of infection to others. The majority of participants were willing to comply with mask requirements in order to be allowed to participate in sports. Survey responses indicate that many adolescents have concerns about how masks influence sports safety and performance. For most statements about masking, there was not a strong consensus among young athletes.

Cardiac Changes Related to COVID-19 in Athletes: A Brief Review.

Purpose of Review: To describe the cardiac changes related to COVID-19 in athletes, in addition to presenting the current recommendations for cardiac assessment and return to sport after COVID-19 infection. Recent Findings: The current state of the art suggests that myocarditis and pericarditis are the main cardiac pathologies related to the COVID-19 infection in athletes even after recovery. The criteria for determining and evaluating cardiac conditions are still discussed, as well as what stage of infection do cardiomyopathies occur. Return to sport should be aligned with cardiovascular risk stratification. Summary: Cardiac changes related to COVID-19 infection have drawn the attention in the sports medicine field, while some questions about the course of the disease and its relationship with physical performance in athletes are still under investigation. In addition, feasible assessment techniques for cardiac assessments should be explored in the future.

An exploration of the resources of high-performance athletes and coaches to cope with unexpected transitions

This study explored high-performance athletes' and coaches' experiences of unexpected transitions caused by COVID-19 pandemic and the postponement of the Olympics with the aim of identifying their available resources to cope with such unexpected transitions. A total of 23 high-performance athletes (n = 18) and coaches (n = 5) who were preparing for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games participated in the study between June and October 2020. Semistructured interviews were conducted via both video (e.g., Microsoft Teams meeting) and phone calls. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts revealed that participants experienced a range of negative emotions;however, they adapted to the changes and challenges experienced after accepting the uncertainty of the circumstances. The participants' main challenges were the changes and limitations to training. To cope with the challenges that the unexpected transition led to, the athletes and coaches employed a range of coping skills and strategies, including commitment to training, setting a short-term goal to focus on training, positive distraction, and seeking social support. Further, the importance of social and organizational support was highlighted as external resources. The findings extend our understanding of nonnormative transitions to include explanation of the mechanisms of coping using Lazarus and Folkman's (1984) transactional theory of stressors and coping. Practical implications on what types of support (e.g., informational, emotional, and psychological support) that key stakeholders may need to consider when establishing support schemes/systems are also discussed. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

How does playing without an audience affect the home advantage? [References]

The influence of the home advantage (HA) effect has changed during the COVID-19 pandemic. In particular, some professional national football leagues played their matches in empty stadiums after the lockdown. Thus, teams were tested under a natural experiment playing at home without their crowd support. Therefore, this chapter will try to revise the initial scientific evidence about this new football reality where teams play closed door matches (ghost matches) without their fans. Additionally, the analysis of some key factors will be considered to bring light to the HA effect such as the competitive balance, the team ability, the variables studied, or the HA trend over the previous years. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)

Evaluating the impact of concentrated match scheduling in college volleyball during the COVID-19 pandemic

Athletic conferences worked to lower the cost of delivering athletic programs while operating during the COVID-19 global pandemic. One strategy was the use of concentrated schedules for competitions. For example, the Sun Belt Conference focused on divisional play and a concentrated schedule for women's volleyball for the 2020 season. Schools played three matches in a two-day period against the same team. This practice lowered travel costs and isolated player contact in the event of needed contact tracing as part of player safety protocols. This study evaluates the impact of this scheduling format on player performance and the overall quality of competition. Gathering data from the box scores from all Sun Belt Conference volleyball matches, the impact of player fatigue (daily and cumulative) is not present in the team statistics. Player performance and the overall quality of team play did not decline, even when playing three matches in a two-day period. Conference personnel and university athletic administrators may take comfort that their efforts to lower costs and ensure player safety during a global pandemic did not affect player performance and the overall quality of competition. It remains to be seen if this new scheduling approach will be used in the post-COVID period in women's volleyball and possibly expanded to other sports. The need to control/lower operating costs will not disappear. This constraint may lead to the adoption of new conference scheduling formats in the future.

An Imaging system for teleteaching support using multi-view video shooted by basketball players

After the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of teleteaching using networks has been increasing in regular university classes. The authors have been studying on the improvement of athletic performance of college women's basketball as extracurricular activities using information processing from multi-image. In this paper, we propose the use of such a multi-visual system in basketball classes. In this experiment basketball athletes at the gymnasium gallery shooted play of other athletes on the court using smartphones. Furthermore, the effectiveness of this video is discussed in terms of regular university classes. One of the characteristics of this video information system, which was realized on the premise of the existing campus network, is that it is a highly feasible system that does not interfere with other lectures and the daily work of faculty members in the university. © 2021 IEEE.