The Real Science of Sport Podcast Professor Ross Tucker and Mike Finch

Kenyan athletes are being banned, literally, by the hundreds. The country that produces many of the world's outstanding distance performers has a huge credibility crisis. It is clear that doping is widespread, but frustratingly, despite dozens of athletes being caught and banned every month, we are no closer to identifying how what have been described as "sophisticated doping regimes" are being managed and delivered to many of the best Kenyan athletes. In this Spotlight, the second episode of the Series, Ross and Gareth talk about the extent of the problem, the challenges faced by authorities who are casting their own spotlight on Kenyan running, and the shadow that sadly looms over Kenyan medals and records.
Show notes
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The latest AIU list of banned Kenyan runners, as at 1 June 2024. This list has since grown by about 30 namesA year ago, Kenyan government pledged to fight the doping problem with a significant investment. The bans now may be the result, but is it the solution?Rhonex Kipruto is one of the biggest Kenyan names banned to date. Here is the AIU Reasoned Decision describing the ban, including the results and graphs discussed by Ross and Gareth on the show
Olympic surveys:
Here is the survey we have created for you to rate every Olympic sport's "athleticism" and attributesHere is the "bracket", where you choose your favourite Olympic sport in a series of Head-to-Head battles. We are now in Round 2
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Dr Geoff Burns lives and breaths running. From his own accomplishments as an elite-level ultra racer, Burns has spent years researching the biomechanics of running, the science behind what makes great runners and the impact of the new super shoes in this new age of running. Burns has a PhD in Sports Science, is a physiologist with the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and is a researcher and engineer with a special interest in running.
SHOW NOTES
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The paper that describes the relationship between calf circumference and running economy
The Japanese study comparing the tendon function of Kenyans to Japanese runners
A paper that looked at cerebral oxygenation in Kenyan runners, another where the effect of being a good runner is hard to tease out from being a Kenyan effect
Geoff and ROSS collaborated on this paper, as discussed on the show, looking at barefoot vs shod running in elite vs recreational runners
www.geoffreyburns.com/stream

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Today we introduce the Science of Sport Spotlight, a category of podcast that we intend to use to round up all the big sports stories with a sports science angle, and then share those insights with you. Today, we discuss the news that transgender swimmer Lia Thomas has lost a case brought against World Aquatics' transgender guidelines at the Court of Arbitration for Sport. But it's not entirely as it seems - the case was dismissed because Thomas is not eligible to bring the case as Thomas is no longer a member of US Swimming. In this Spotlight episode, Professor Ross Tucker explains why that is frustrating for World Aquatics and other sports, and why the Thomas case would have made an interesting test in the court.
Notes:

Sean ingle's article on the decisionThe research paper by Senefeld that analysis Thomas' performance changes with testosterone suppression, alluded to in the showAnother research paper, on which I am a co-author, which explains why the IOC Guideline on the trans issue is so misguidedPatrons only: The discourse thread that mentions the Ultra cycling race won by a trans woman this past weekend
You can join the ongoing sports science conversation, and support our work, by becoming a Patron member at this link.
That Patron membership gives you access to our Discourse channels, where like-minded enthusiasts discuss sports science and news
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With 50 days to go to the Paris Olympics, it's all systems go for athletes, coaches, and media. Sean Ingle will be covering his 7th Olympic Games, and he joins us from Rome's European Track and Field Championships to talk about some of the themes we expect to make the news at these Paris Games. They include tech's pervasive and unavoidable influence on performance, a simmering feud in the world of anti-doping, and the evolution and relevance of the Olympic Games in the face of both external and internal pressures. We also present The Official Science of Sport surveys in which you get to vote for your favourite event of the Games, and our ambitious consensus project to classify the Olympic Sports by their physiological and psychological demands. A busy period of great sport starts here!
Show notes:
Here is where you sign up to become a Patron and get access to our awesome and informative Discourse community
The Discourse page, for those who are already Patrons of the pod (you sign in with your Patron log-ins)
If you want to join our survey to rate the Olympic sports for their athletic components, here is the link to the once-off survey
Our 'bracket' challenge to pick your most engaging, popular specific event
We spoke of tech in cycling on the show, and here's an announcement from Team GB/Lotus about their track bikes for their Paris campaign
Here's the paper with Kenenisa Bekele has a co-author, that recognizes that the new era performances, powered by super shoes, and aided by wavelights, need an asterisk alongside them
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Join host Mike Finch, co-host Prof. Jill Warner and Dr Dale Rae, Director at Sleep Science and a Senior Lecturer in the Division of Physiological Sciences at the University of Cape Town, as they discuss what good sleeping habits look like, what constitutes a good sleep routine, catching up on sleep, the effects of sleep deprivation and why sleep dictates mood regulation, body health and even weight gain.

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Dr Nick Tiller literally wrote the book on it, The Skeptics Guide to Sports Science (available from Amazon HERE). As an exercise scientist at Harbour-UCLA in the US, columnist, writer and author, Tiller challenges many of the claims made by marketers and others, in the name of sport science. With the team Tiller delves into the details of questionable sports science, how to spot the good from the bad and the areas where sports science is most vulnerable.
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Web: www.nbtiller.com Instagram: @nb.tiller X: @NBTiller
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