The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on fairness and fair play for Olympic athletes training for the Tokyo Olympic Games

2022 ◽  
pp. 185-201
Author(s):  
Angela Schneider ◽  
Marwan Hellal
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
Fair Play ◽  
Olympic Athletes

Objective and parametric methods used in functional classification disabled swimmers

Physiotherapy ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Uścinowicz ◽  
Wojciech Seidel ◽  
Paweł Zostawa ◽  
Sebastian Klich
Keyword(s):  
Medical Diagnosis ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Objective Evaluation ◽  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Fair Play ◽  
Functional Classification ◽  
Kinematic Parameters ◽  
Athletes With Disabilities ◽  
Rule Out

AbstractThe recent Olympic Games in London incited much interest in the competition of disabled athletes. Various people connected with swimming, including coaches and athletes, have speculated about the fairness of competitions of disabled athletes. A constant problem are the subjective methods of classification in disabled sport. Originally, athletes with disabilities were classified according to medical diagnosis. Due to the injustice which still affects the competitors, functional classification was created shortly after. In the present review, the authors show the anomalies in the structure of the classification. The presented discovery led to the suggestion to introduce objective methods, thanks to which it would be no longer necessary to rely on the subjective assessment of the classifier. According to the authors, while using objective methods does not completely rule out the possibility of fraud by disabled athletes in the classification process, it would certainly reduce their incidence. Some of the objective methods useful for the classification of disabled athletes are: posturography, evaluation of the muscle parameters, electrogoniometric assessment, surface electromyography, and analysis of kinematic parameters. These methods have provide objective evaluation in the diagnostic sense but only if they are used in tandem. The authors demonstrate the undeniable benefits of using objective methods. Unfortunately, there are not only advantages of such solution, there also several drawbacks to be found. The conclusion of the article is the statement by the authors that it is right to use objective methods which allow to further the most important rule in sport: fair-play.

scholarly journals Evaluation of spine MRIs in athletes participating in the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Summer Olympic Games

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. e000335 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael S Wasserman ◽  
Ali Guermazi ◽  
Mohamed Jarraya ◽  
Lars Engbretsen ◽  
Mohamad AbdelKader ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Acute Injury ◽  
Spinal Disease ◽  
Descriptive Data ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
High Level ◽  
Spine Mri ◽  
Spine Disease ◽  
Age And Sex

Background/aimIn high-level Olympic athletes, many spinal pathologies arise from overuse, while others are the result of acute injury. Our aim is to analyse the epidemiology of spinal pathologies detected on MRI in athletes participating in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympics.MethodsIn this retrospective study, all spine MRIs performed during the 2016 Rio Games were analysed. Descriptive data from the MRIs were tabulated and analysed for disc degeneration, spinal canal and/or neural foraminal narrowing, and acute/chronic fractures. Data were analysed by sport, continent of origin, age and sex.ResultsOf 11 274 athletes participating in the Olympic games, 100 received spine MRI. Fifty-two of the 100 (52%) athletes who received cervical, thoracic and/or lumbar spine MRI showed moderate to severe spinal disease. The highest sport-specific incidence of moderate to severe spine disease was seen in aquatic diving athletes (67%, 3 per 100 divers). Weightlifting had the second highest sport-specific incidence of spine disease (67%, 1.5 per 100 weightlifters). Athletics used the most spine MRIs (31 of 107 MRIs, 29%). European athletes had more spine MRIs than all other continents combined (55 of 107 MRIs, 51%). Athletes over 30 years old had the highest rate of moderate to severe spine disease on MRI (24 of 37 athletes >30 years old, 65%).ConclusionsA high number of the world’s premier athletes demonstrated moderate to severe spine disease on MRI during the 2016 Summer Olympics, including moderate/severe degenerative disc changes with varying degrees of disc bulges and herniations.

scholarly journals “Time for Recovery” or “Utter Uncertainty”? The Postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Through the Eyes of Olympic Athletes and Coaches. A Qualitative Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Violetta Oblinger-Peters ◽  
Björn Krenn
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Emotional Reaction ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Levels Of Abstraction ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
The Postponement ◽  
The Olympic Games

The current COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire globe, including the world of high-performance sports. Accordingly, it has been widely assumed that the thereby caused postponement of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games could have negative psychological impacts for aspirants, since they were halted abruptly in the pursuit of their Olympic endeavors and their daily lives drastically altered. Considering the sudden nature of the pandemic, few researchers, if any, have yet scrutinized the individual experience of Olympic aspirants. This qualitative study examines the subjective perceptions of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games postponement among Austrian Olympic athletes and coaches. To this end, 21 Austrian athletes (13 male, 8 female; mean age = 26.67 ± 4.93 years) and six male coaches were recruited through a criterion-based purposive sampling strategy. Five athletes had already qualified for the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020 and 15 athletes were still in an ongoing qualification process. Data was collected by means of short written statements, elicited via open-format questions on an anonymous online survey platform. In order to infer meaning from the text, a qualitative content analysis with an interpretative focus was conducted inductively, which allowed for deriving alternative explanations of findings. The results support the notion that the Olympic postponement was experienced in myriad ways by affected participants. Three general themes comprised of several meaning units of different levels of abstraction were created from the text data. Many respondents experienced an immediate emotional reaction to the postponement characterized by confusion, disappointment and/or relief. Participants associated multiple consequences with the postponement, such as the prolongation of physical and psychological pressure, a lack of motivation, concerns about future performance, living and their occupational career, but also the opportunity for performance improvement and recovery. Respondents displayed various coping strategies, such as distancing themselves from sports, cognitive reframing, appealing for acceptance, and planning behavior. This study gleans first insights into the idiosyncratic experience of the Olympic Games 2020 postponement among Austrian aspirants. The findings could serve to assist sport psychologists in their applied practice by informing them about athletes’ and coaches’ needs in their Olympic preparation during the ongoing pandemic.

Performance Factors and Strategies Favored by French Olympic Athletes

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Helene Joncheray ◽  
Fabrice Burlot ◽  
Nicolas Besombes ◽  
Sébastien Dalgalarrondo ◽  
Mathilde Desenfant
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
The Other ◽  
Mental Preparation ◽  
Performance Factors ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Parallel Network ◽  
Physical Preparation ◽  
The Olympic Games

This article presents the performance factors identified by Olympic athletes and analyzes how they were prioritized and implemented during the 2012–2016 Olympiad. To address this issue, 28 semistructured interviews were conducted with French athletes who participated in the Olympic Games in 2016. The analysis shows that to achieve performance, only two factors were implemented by all the athletes: training and physical preparation. The other factors, namely, mental preparation, nutrition, and recovery care, were not implemented by all athletes. In addition, two main types of configurations have been identified: a minority of athletes (n = 4) for whom the choice of performance factors and their implementation are controlled by the coach and a majority (n = 24) who adopts secondary adjustments by relying on a parallel network.

Fair Play in the Perspective of Contemporary Sport

2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 175-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleš Sekot
Keyword(s):  
High Performance ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Fair Play ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Recreational Sports ◽  
Equal Opportunities ◽  
Modern Times ◽  
Cultural Phenomenon ◽  
Olympic Movement ◽  
Value Modeling

Fair Play in the Perspective of Contemporary Sport Sport as a socio-cultural phenomenon of modern times is often portrayed as a renaissance of the Olympic ideals. Today, however, we can see that sports in many cases contributes to the emancipation process, particularly in developing countries, offers opportunities for strengthening national identity and fosters respect for state symbols. A wider context of applying the principle of fair play in sports has its indisputable philosophical and ethical dimensions. The first expresses the widening gap between high performance sports and recreational sports. The importance of schools in the value modeling of the principle of fair play in general and at the level of sports is given by the fact that their very nature is aimed at socialization and education. Olympic Movement must ensure that the Olympic Games preserve both the Olympic values and the principles of protecting the environment, respond to the needs of the young generation of athletes and enhance gender equality and equal opportunities.

The Olympic Games in antiquity

2004 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 401-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. W. PLEKET
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
Social Background ◽  
Gold Medal ◽  
Olive Leaves ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Olympic Games

The Olympic Games are an invention of the ancient Greeks. They were held in Olympia in a quadrennial rhythm, without interruption for ca. 1200 years. Compared with the modern Olympics, the ancient programme was small: running events (over several distances), the pentathlon, and the so-called ‘heavy’ events: wrestling, boxing and pankration. Various equestrian events (with and without chariots) completed the programme. This programme is discussed with the athletes, their social background and ideology. Although in ancient Olympia a wreath of olive-leaves – a forerunner of our modern gold medal – was the first and only prize, there was no amateurism in Greek athletics. Olympic athletes happily participated in highly rewarding money games both before and after the Olympics. Money was not despised; abuse of money, in the form of Wine, Women and Song was criticized, but some athletes, then as now, were unable to resist the temptations of life.

Pedagogical Values of Olympic Education

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 21-26
Author(s):  
Magdalena Mika
Keyword(s):  
Everyday Life ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Human Values ◽  
Fair Play ◽  
Modern Education ◽  
Knowing That ◽  
The World ◽  
The Common ◽  
Olympic Education ◽  
Universal Nature

Olympic education is currently perceived as one of the most eff ective forms of upbringing, which is why it should be included in modern pedagogy. It is important because of the values of Olympism and education through sport. When speaking of Olympic education, its origins and precursor should be studied as well. It is worth knowing that it was Pierre de Coubertin’s philosophical and pedagogical concept that played the key role in the development of Olympic education in the world. The values of Olympism, including equality, fraternity, collaboration, friendship, respect, solidarity and striving for excellence are now commonly accepted. The timeless and universal nature of those values, the generally accepted fair play rule that is important not only in sport, but also in everyday life, looking at sport through the prism of social and human values, as well as the common global recognition of the Olympic Games, all may contribute to Olympic education becoming a marvel of modern education.

The Sport Psychology Consultant: Analysis of Critical Components as Viewed by Canadian Olympic Athletes

1987 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Terry Orlick ◽  
John Partington
Keyword(s):  
Training Program ◽  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Elite Athletes ◽  
Mental Training ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
Critical Components

Intensive interviews were conducted with each of 75 Canadian Olympic athletes representing 19 different sports in order to evaluate the sport psychology services offered to them. Athletes representing 12 of the sports indicated they had worked with 1 of 11 sport psychology consultants in preparation for the 1984 Olympic Games. Some were highly satisfied with their consultant and his or her mental training program, others were highly dissatisfied. A profile of the best and worst consultants was developed based upon the athletes’ perceptions of desirable and undesirable consultant characteristics. Suggestions are provided for improving the quality of sport psychology services for elite athletes.

scholarly journals The post-Olympic Games experience: A qualitative investigation of Australian Rio Olympians

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Bennie ◽  
Courtney C. Walton ◽  
Donna O'COnnor ◽  
Lauren Fitzsimons ◽  
Thomas Hammond
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
Strong Support ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Performance Expectations ◽  
Negative Experiences ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
Or Team ◽  
Individual Sports ◽  
Sport Organisation

Background: While research into Olympic Athletes’ career transitions and retirement has led to a deeper understanding of important factors for athletes in this context, considerably less is known about the experiences of athletes in the immediate phase following an Olympic Games. Objectives: The purpose of this research was to investigate Australian Olympic athletes’ experiences during the period of time immediately following the conclusion of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. This involved investigating specific factors that influenced athletes’ post-games realities of success, failure, and return to everyday life.Design: Qualitative-inductiveMethods: Eighteen Australian Rio Olympic Games athletes (Female N=9, Male N=9) from a variety of team and individual sports participated in semi-structured interviews that explored their post-Olympic Games experiences. Thematic analysis was used to inductively analyse the data. Results: In the period immediately following the Rio Olympic campaign, many athletes felt a sense of relief before coming to terms with a post-Olympic ‘come down’. While positive and negative transitions back to reality following the Rio Games were influenced by performance expectations, positive transitions generally occurred when athletes had made plans for the post-Games phase and received strong support from family, teammates, and sport governing bodies. Conversely, negative experiences tended to occur where funding ceased, coach-athlete relationships fell apart, or team structures were dissolved following the Olympic event. Conclusions: Overall, athletes had a variety of experiences during the post-Olympic period and as such, it is critical to consider their needs individually. The findings of this project have implications at the micro (athlete, coach) and macro (National Sport Organisation) levels that could be used to better inform the targeted development of post-Olympic programs.

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