Current Issues in Sport Science (CISS)
type: channel
description: Current Issues in Sport Science (CISS) is an international peer-reviewed platinum open-access journal publishing articles of high standard on all aspects of current sport and exercise science.
publisher: Bern Open Publishing (BOP)
language: en
publication name: Current Issues in Sport Science (CISS)
issn: 2414-6641
items: “PE is basically about being active” – Students’ perspectives on media education in physical education
items: How to quantify youth cycling performance? Development of a method based on competition results.
items: The effects of minimalist footwear on stability, change of direction, and power production: a randomized crossover trial
items: Unveiling the shadows - substance use among para-athletes: a qualitative study with Swiss elite para-athletes
items: CISS reviewer acknowledgement 2023 & 2024
items: Understanding Sport Participation and Athlete Development: The Exposure to Sport Scale
items: The influence of exercise modality and intensity on ventricular arrhythmia burden and perception of effort in patients with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy with plakophilin-2 variants
items: Effects of olive leaf extract on exercise performance and muscle mitochondrial response in young healthy adults
items: Is intense exercise bad for your mind? Subjective, behavioral and physiological responses to a cognitive effort to failure
items: Reactive agility training to prevent frailty in older adults – a randomized controlled trial.
items: The effect of single and dual task training on the intracortical inhibition in young and old adults
items: A definition and model for sustainability in major sports events
items: Sport values and sustainability?
items: Mega-events and the climate: what’s the game?
items: The Closer, The Harder? Investigating the use of peripheral vision in 3vs3 counter-attack VR situations in football
items: Reproducibility of indirect persistent inward current indicators with neuromuscular electrical stimulation
items: Optimizing risk in action: Differences between fixated aim points and movement outcomes in throwing
items: Associations between Prospective Memory, Executive Function and Physical Activity in Schoolchildren
items: Professional Action Competence in Education for Sustainability Among Pre-service Physical Education Teachers: A Mixed Method Approach
items: Evaluation of the Education Plan and Activities of Swiss Sport Integrity. A report of a science-practice co-operation.
items: Key Performance Indicators in Freestyle Swimming: Comparing Start, Turn, and Swimming Velocity in Top-Elite Female Junior and Adult Swimmers
items: Automated Video Assistant Referee in Lead Climbing
items: Exploring the Determinants of Long-Term Physical Activity Maintainenance from a Maintainers Perspective: What do they say?
items: Narratives of swiss football players about talent - and positive youth development: The role of social agents and agency.
items: Engagement and Follower Growth: Social Media Strategies of Swiss Athletes at the Paris Olympics
items: Effects of Neuromuscular Training on Performance and Injury Prevention in Youth Team Sports: Development of an Evidence-Based Educational Program
items: Implementation of Compensation-Sensitive Shot-Style-Feedback of Aiming Point Training Data at the Swiss Shooting Federation
items: Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation
items: Initiatives to Enhance Research-Practice Integration in the Swiss Sport System
items: United by Sports? Key Factors affecting Sports Participation in a Sports-based Initiative to Promote Social Integration in Segregated Communities

“PE is basically about being active” – Students’ perspectives on media education in physical education
type: item
description: Digital media is playing an increasingly important role in the sport culture of children and adolescents. In line with educational policy guidelines, physical education (PE) teachers are expected to address media-educational tasks as part of their teaching. To gain deeper insight into how this is implemented in everyday school practice, this study explores students’ perspectives on the integration of such tasks in PE. Based on qualitative interviews with upper secondary school students in Germany, the findings show that digital media in PE is primarily used to support students’ initial understanding of movements, to enable the analysis of their own performance, and to organise lessons. The critical-reflective dimension of learning about media, however, is rarely addressed. Consistent with previous studies involving teachers, the results also reveal a certain scepticism among students regarding the use of digital technologies in PE. This scepticism appears to stem from the perception that the use of technology and related reflection processes conflict with PE’s primary focus on physical activity. As a result, students tend to view digital media as a potential threat to movement time. Additionally, they express concerns about data privacy and bodily exposure. These findings provide valuable reference points for the targeted further development of media-educational tasks in physical education.
subject: Pedagogy & History
  topic: section
creator: Konstantin Rehlinghaus
creator: André Poweleit
rights: Copyright (c) 2026 Konstantin Rehlinghaus, André Poweleit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2026-01-28
publication date: 2026-01-28
starting page: 001
ending page: 001
doi: 10.36950/2026.11ciss001

How to quantify youth cycling performance? Development of a method based on competition results.
type: item
description: Our understanding of the development of youth cyclists on their way to elite performance can be aided by quantifying cycling performance. However, there is currently no robust measure of youth cycling performance available. Therefore, we aimed to develop a method resulting in a youth seasonal cycling performance score (YSCPS) for all cyclists competing in the same category that accounts for differences in the race levels and race types those cyclists compete in. In co-creation with an expert panel and starting from the Dutch national ranking system, we propose using the best two performance scores over an entire season for several race types (e.g., international races, stage races, time trials) and averaging those scores over the race types in which a cyclist participated. The YSCPS can be used to follow a cyclist’s development longitudinally as well as for stratifying a cohort of youth cyclists based on performance scores. Researchers and practitioners may use our template methodology to quantify youth cycling performance for the competition structure in their country.
subject: Movement & Exercise Science
  topic: section
subject: road cycling performance
  topic: keywords
subject: success rate
  topic: keywords
subject: race results
  topic: keywords
subject: methodology
  topic: keywords
subject: talent
  topic: keywords
creator: Jeroen Hasselaar
creator: Marije Elferink-Gemser
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 J.J. Hasselaar, M.T. Elferink-Gemser https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-12-02
publication date: 2025-12-02
starting page: 012
ending page: 012
doi: 10.36950/2025.10ciss012

The effects of minimalist footwear on stability, change of direction, and power production: a randomized crossover trial
type: item
description: Prior research indicates that minimalist footwear (MFW) enhances foot strength. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of MFW on lacrosse athletes’ ability to stabilize, change direction, and produce power. It was hypothesized that that athletes wearing MFW will have an enhanced ability to stabilize, change direction, and produce power. Eighteen male athletes participated in a randomized crossover design, alternating between MFW and regular shoes (RS). The protocol included a warm-up, Biodex Balance Assessment (BA), 5-10-5 pro-agility test (PA), modified T-Test (MTT), vertical jump (VJ), and maximal velocity trap-bar deadlift (DL). A paired-sample T-test was used. No significant differences were found in the PA, MTT, or the DL. Significant differences in the BA included time MFW (43.44 ± 12.34 seconds) vs. time RS (158.28 ± 170.82 seconds) (p = 0.04, ES = 0.28), forward MFW (47.33 ± 23.89) vs. forward RS (62.94 ± 17.18) (p = 0.03, ES = 0.34), forward left MFW (56.94 ± 17.35) vs. forward left RS (45.17 ± 17.52) (p = 0.02, ES = 0.30).VJ peak force showed significant differences between MFW and RS trials for the right foot: trial 1 in MFW (1031.26 ± 145.33 N) and in RS (1009.91 ± 148.99 N) (p = 0.048), trial 2 in MFW (1026.96 ± 146.21 N) and in RS (979.99 ± 152.34 N) (p = 0.035). For the DL, the MFW group produced more force and had a quicker time to peak force from both the right and left leg during both trials compared to the RS group. In conclusion, the differences in peak force during the VJ and the DL, but no differences in the PA and MTT, indicate that the effects of MFW may be more prominent during activities that require power production and not a change of direction.
subject: Movement & Exercise Science
  topic: section
subject: Minimalist shoes
  topic: keywords
subject: Barefoot shoes
  topic: keywords
subject: sports performance
  topic: keywords
subject: anaerobic performance
  topic: keywords
creator: Logan Allen
creator: Justin Kilian
creator: Jessi Glauser
creator: Christiaan Grutz
creator: Connor Pells
creator: Julia Allen
creator: Allison Schaefer
creator: Isabella Cruz
creator: Willard Peveler
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Logan Allen, Dr. Justin Kilian, Dr. Jessi Glauser, Christiaan Grutz, Connor Pells, Julia Allen, Allison Schaefer, Isa Cruz, Dr. Will Peveler https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-10-28
publication date: 2025-10-28
starting page: 011
ending page: 011
doi: 10.36950/2025.10ciss011

Unveiling the shadows - substance use among para-athletes: a qualitative study with Swiss elite para-athletes
type: item
description: This qualitative study investigated non-doping-related substance use among Swiss elite para-athletes, an area with limited existing research. Through in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted at the beginning of 2023 with 15 elite para-athletes (N=15) from diverse sports and language regions, the study explores athletes' perceptions and experiences of substance use, including both legal (alcohol, nicotine, supplements, medications) and illegal non-doping-related substances (illicit drugs). Overall, interviewed para-athletes reported low levels of non-doping-related substance use, but with differences related to on/off-season, sports, or time of the entrance in professional sports. The findings indicate a complex relationship between non-doping-related substance use and para-sports, highlighting both negative impacts on athletic performance and health, and the role of non-doping-related substances in coping with physical pain and stress. Professionalization and doping controls are seen to reduce non-doping-related substance use, promoting healthier lifestyles and heightened awareness of performance and health. The study underscored the need for comprehensive mental and physical health support systems and enhanced educational resources to address substance use within this vulnerable population. The insights gained aim to inform targeted interventions to support the health and well-being of para-athletes, contributing positively to their sporting careers and overall quality of life.
subject: Public Health
  topic: section
subject: qualitative research
  topic: keywords
subject: Swiss elite para-athletes
  topic: keywords
subject: substance misuse
  topic: keywords
subject: disabled sports
  topic: keywords
subject: thematic analysis
  topic: keywords
creator: Michele Lardi
creator: Nikolai Kiselev
creator: Christian Imboden
creator: Andreas Heiniger
creator: Olivia Stoffel
creator: Malte Chrisian Claussen
creator: Michael P Schaub
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Michele Lardi, Nikolai Kiselev, Christian Imboden, Andreas Heiniger, Olivia Stoffel, Malte Chrisian Claussen, Michael P Schaub https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-09-12
publication date: 2025-09-12
starting page: 009
ending page: 009
doi: 10.36950/2025.10ciss009

CISS reviewer acknowledgement 2023 & 2024
type: item
description: The practice of peer review is to ensure the research published in Current Issues in Sport Science (CISS) is of the highest standard. Peer review lies at the heart of scholarly publishing and is utilized by all reputable journals. Our referees and section editors play a crucial role in ensuring the reputation of CISS as a leading forum for original research in the field. Therefore, I would like to formally thank all who have so willingly and voluntarily contributed to the journal in 2023 and 2024. CISS Reviewers 2023 Armstrong, David, Western Health and Social Care Trust, United Kingdom Bindel, Tim, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Germany Bonn, Benjamin, German Sport University Cologne, Germany Braksiek, Michael, University of Vechta, Germany Colombo, Alessandro, Politecnico di Milano University, Italy Fahlén, Josef, Umeå University, Sweden Fahrner, Marcel, University of Tübingen, Germany Gerber, Markus, University of Basel, Switzerland Gray, Shirley, University of Edinburgh, United Kingdom Grewe, Steffen, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany Ketelhut, Sascha, University of Bern, Switzerland Klinge, Antje, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany Krieger, Claus, University of Hamburg, Germany Meier, Stefan, University of Vienna, Austria Pürgstaller, Esther, University of Potsdam, Germany Roth, Anne-Christin, University of Freiburg, Germany Schlesinger, Torsten, University of Technology Chemnitz, Germany Steinberg, Claudia, German Sport University Cologne, Germany Sudeck, Gorden, University of Tübingen, Germany Terrien, Mickael, University of Lausanne, Switzerland Reviewers 2024 Arnold , Baca, University of Vienna, Austria Bacharach, Dave, St. Cloud State University, United States Of America Baldinger, Melanie, Technical University of Munich, Germany Beinert, Konstantin, DHGS German University of Health and Sports, Germany Ferrauti, Alexander, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany Giese, Martin, Heidelberg University of Education, Germany Giurgiu, Marco, Karlsruher Institu…
subject: Editorial
  topic: section
subject: Journal Reviewers
  topic: keywords
subject: Acknowledgement
  topic: keywords
creator: Claudio R. Nigg
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Claudio R. Nigg https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-02-13
publication date: 2025-02-13
starting page: 000
ending page: 000
doi: 10.36950/2025.10ciss000

Understanding Sport Participation and Athlete Development: The Exposure to Sport Scale
type: item
description: The purpose of this two-part paper was to conceptualize and validate a new method for measuring youth sport exposure. In part one, different disciplines were used to guide the creation of the Exposure to Sport Scale. Using references from epidemiology and the previously validated Developmental History of Athletes Questionnaire, an original version of the scale was proposed. Sections include measures of practice, play and competition throughout an athlete’s sport development journey. In part two the content and face validity of the Exposure to Sport Scale was investigated. Using a modified Delphi approach, 16 experts in the field completed three rounds of feedback. By the final round all items had achieved consensus for clarity and relevance. The proposed Exposure to Sport Scale has significant implications for those working in early athlete settings.
subject: Movement & Exercise Science
  topic: section
subject: Sport
  topic: keywords
subject: Athlete
  topic: keywords
subject: Development Pathways
  topic: keywords
subject: Expertise
  topic: keywords
creator: Alexandra Mosher
creator: Antonia Cattle
creator: Jessica Fraser-Thomas
creator: Joseph Baker
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Alexandra Mosher, Antonia Cattle, Jessica Fraser-Thomas, Joseph Baker https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-08-28
publication date: 2025-08-28
starting page: 008
ending page: 008
doi: 10.36950/2025.10ciss008

The influence of exercise modality and intensity on ventricular arrhythmia burden and perception of effort in patients with Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy with plakophilin-2 variants
type: item
description: Introduction Intense endurance exercise is discouraged for patients with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), as it can increase the risk for adverse cardiac events as well as accelerate disease progression. While a sedentary lifestyle is also not advisable, there is currently no prospective data on the safety of physical activity for ARVC patients. To describe ARVC patients' average and peak ventricular arrhythmia burden – estimated from the prevalence of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) – measured during and after different exercise modalities and intensities, in context with cardiac and physiological load. Methods Twenty ARVC patients (8 f/12 m, age 48 ± 15 years, BMI 24 ± 3 kg/m2, resting PVC burden 4 ± 4%) with a heterozygous pathogenic/likely pathogenic plakophilin-2 (PKP-2) variant prospectively performed different exercises while monitored via 12-lead ECG. The order of modalities was randomized and participants were instructed to stop when surpassing perceived exertion of 15 (6-20 Borg scale). Resistance exercises included 2-min two-legged squats and single arm biceps curls (20 repetitions each) while endurance exercise included 5-min treadmill walking at comfortable speed and 3-min cycling bouts at a heart rate (HR) of 80, 100 and 120 bpm. Each activity was followed by a 10-min recovery period. Blood lactate concentration [La-] was assessed at the end of each cycling bout, with 4 mmol/L defined as a threshold to describe high-intensity exercise. Results No adverse events (including sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia) nor premature terminations occurred. Average PVC burden during activities (including 5 min recovery) was lower for biceps curls compared with all other activities (p < 0.046), despite having the second highest level of perceived effort (13.8 ± 1.7 units). Biceps curls elicited ~20 mmHg (p < 0.001) lower peak systolic blood pressure and ~40 bpm peak lower HR (p < 0.001) compared with cycling at 120 bpm, despite simi…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.6
  topic: section
subject: training
  topic: keywords
subject: prescription
  topic: keywords
subject: risk stratification
  topic: keywords
subject: sudden cardiac death
  topic: keywords
subject: arrhythmia
  topic: keywords
creator: Fernando G. Beltrami
creator: Kyle G. P. J. M. Boyle
creator: Guan Fu
creator: Corinna Brunckhorst
creator: Firat Duru
creator: Christina M. Spengler
creator: Ardan M. Saguner
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Fernando G. Beltrami, Kyle G. P. J. M. Boyle, Guan Fu, Corinna Brunckhorst, Firat Duru, Christina M. Spengler, Ardan M. Saguner https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 081
ending page: 081
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss081

Effects of olive leaf extract on exercise performance and muscle mitochondrial response in young healthy adults
type: item
description: Introduction Sprint interval training (SIT) can elicit similar or even higher skeletal muscle mitochondrial adaptations than moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) despite a lower training volume. We have previously shown that this is at least partially driven by improved skeletal muscle mitochondrial bioenergetics with increased mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activation after a single session of SIT but not MICT [1]. Olive leaf extract (OLE) is a natural compound that triggers mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and activates PDH in mouse skeletal muscle [2]. Here we tested the hypothesis that OLE would contribute to exercise performance improvement by increasing muscle mitochondrial response and PDH activation in human participants performing MICT. Methods In a crossover (OLE vs. placebo), double-blind study, eleven healthy males performed a single session of MICT (1h at 50% maximal aerobic power). Knee extensor neuromuscular tests and vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were performed before (Pre), immediately after (Post), and 24 hours after (24h Post) MICT. Results Compared to placebo, OLE reduced average heart rate in MICT while the extent and origin of knee extensor fatigability was unchanged. Targeted investigation of selected proteins involved in the oxidative phosphorylation pathway showed an overall decrease of expression immediately after exercise but did not reveal any differences between placebo and OLE. The Pre to Post change in PDH activity was different with a decrease in placebo versus an increase in OLE. Transcriptomic analyses showed a potentiation of the exercise effect on mitochondrial genes by OLE 24h after exercise. In addition, OLE potentiated several pathways involved in inflammation and immune response immediately after exercise. Discussion/Conclusion Altogether, these results suggest that OLE can modulate skeletal muscle response to exercise and pave the way for future investigations aiming to investigate the chronic…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.6
  topic: section
subject: Exercise
  topic: keywords
subject: Oleuropein
  topic: keywords
subject: Mitochondria
  topic: keywords
creator: Clément Lanfranchi
creator: Nadège Zanou
creator: Jérôme Feige
creator: Umberto DeMarchi
creator: Aurélie Hermant
creator: Ornella Cominetti
creator: Eugenia Migliavacca
creator: Alba Moreno-Asso
creator: Astrid Hostrman
creator: Sara Mistro
creator: Nicolas Place
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Clément Lanfranchi, Nadège Zanou, Jérôme Feige, Umberto DeMarchi, Aurélie Hermant, Ornella Cominetti, Eugenia Migliavacca, Alba Moreno-Asso, Astrid Hostrman, Sara Mistro, Nicolas Place https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 080
ending page: 080
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss080

Is intense exercise bad for your mind? Subjective, behavioral and physiological responses to a cognitive effort to failure
type: item
description: Introduction Most previous research has investigated if a cognitive task reduces the time a person can perform a posterior physical exercise (Holgado et al., 2023). However, no previous research has investigated if performing an intense physical exercise reduces the time a person can complete a cognitive task with an adequate level of performance. The aim of this study was to assess the subjective, behavioral and brain activity responses of performing an intense physical exercise on a posterior cognitive task until failure. Methods In a pre-registered, randomized, within-participant design experiment, 29 physically active participants completed a cognitive task until failure after running at 90% maximal aerobic speed until failure or after walking for 10 min (control condition). During the cognitive task, brain activity was recorded with an electroencephalogram and brain complexity was quantified. Multidimensional subjective experience was assessed with the Temporal Experience Tracing method (TET) (Jachs et al., 2022). Sequential Bayesian analysis for the main hypothesis (intense physical exercise reduces cognitive task performance) until it reached strong evidence in favor of the alternative hypothesis (BF10 > 6), or the null hypothesis (BF10 < 1/6) were conducted. Results The physical exercise induced a reduction in maximal force generating capacity and increased rate of perceived exertion compared to the control condition, evidencing the presence of fatigue. The total duration to complete the cognitive task in both conditions were 4755.8 s (95% CI 3326.8 - 5107.8) and 4308.2 s (95% CI 3902.9 - 5481.2) for the control and experimental conditions, respectively with no difference across sessions (BF10 = 0.329). Subjective experience analysis identified two distinct clusters of task-related feelings, but the time spent in these experiential states did not differ between conditions. However, cognitive task performance was better in the in the phases of low subjective …
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.5
  topic: section
subject: Physical fatigue
  topic: keywords
subject: cognitive effort
  topic: keywords
subject: Subjective experience
  topic: keywords
subject: Brain activity
  topic: keywords
creator: Darías Holgado
creator: Ludovic Leubaz
creator: Paolo Ruggeri
creator: Guillermo Borragan
creator: Antonio Luque-Casado
creator: Tristan Bekinschtein
creator: Daniel Sanabria
creator: Nicolas Place
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Darías Holgado, Ludovic Leubaz, Paolo Ruggeri, Guillermo Borragan, Antonio Luque-Casado, Tristan Bekinschtein, Daniel Sanabria, Nicolas Place https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 079
ending page: 079
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss079

Reactive agility training to prevent frailty in older adults – a randomized controlled trial.
type: item
description: Introduction Alternative approaches to fall prevention programs for older adults have been called for. Agility training, which blends functional movements, stop-and-go actions, direction changes, strength, balance, and cognitive tasks (Donath et al., 2016), appears potentially more effective than traditional strength and balance training methods (Lichtenstein et al., 2020). However, long-term applications often lack considerations of individual progression and reactive decision-making (Lichtenstein et al., 2023). Addressing the need for quick, unforeseen reactions in fall-risk situations, we explored a novel training tailored to individual progress with complex reactive elements. The aim was to enhance neuromuscular and cognitive performance, as well as psychosocial health outcomes in healthy older adults. Methods Forty-six healthy older adults (28 females, mean age 69.5 ± 6.8 years, BMI 25.9 ± 3.4 kg/m²) were randomly assigned to either a control (CON) or agility training (AT) group. The AT program, conducted over a period of 16 weeks (twice per week), involved tasks that progressed in complexity and placed high demands on cognitive skills, strength, balance by applying reactive light systems. Cognitive assessments included the Eriksen-flanker and Go/No-Go tasks, while neuromuscular assessments involved tandem stance, countermovement jump, grip strength, and leg dynamometry. Gait tests were conducted under both single and dual-task conditions. Psychosocial health was evaluated using surveys such as CES-D, WHO-QoL-Bref, ISI, FES-I, and PSS. Data analysis was performed using linear mixed-effects models, examining group×time interactions standardized to baseline standard deviation. Results Compliance was high (85.2 ± 8.3%), and dropouts were low (10.8%). After controlling for age, sex, and BMI, the analysis revealed, on average, at least small effects in favor of the AT group for Go/No-Go task parameters (0.18 < d < 0.47), perceived stress (d = 0.42), psychosocial wel…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.5
  topic: section
subject: strength
  topic: keywords
subject: cognition
  topic: keywords
subject: fall prevention
  topic: keywords
subject: older adults
  topic: keywords
creator: Eric Lichtenstein
creator: Martin Keller
creator: Ralf Roth
creator: Sebastian Ludyga
creator: Oliver Faude
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Eric Lichtenstein, Martin Keller, Ralf Roth, Sebastian Ludyga, Oliver Faude https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 078
ending page: 078
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss078

The effect of single and dual task training on the intracortical inhibition in young and old adults
type: item
description: Introduction It has been demonstrated that single-task (ST) balance training enhances performance in balancing alone, whereas dual-task (DT) balance training improves the ability to perform two tasks concurrently (Kiss et al., 2018). Previous research has also indicated that short-interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) is modulated in a task-specific manner following explosive or balance training (Taube et al., 2020). Based on these findings, the objective of this study was to investigate task-specific modulations of intracortical inhibition following ST or DT training in both young and older adults. Methods Participants were randomly separated into 2 different training groups (ST or DT) among their age (young or old). Young groups had 6 and old groups 9 balance training sessions within 3 weeks, the DT training consisted of cognitive and motor secondary tasks. Pre and post training, a balance task was performed on a rocker board in three different conditions: 1) balance only 2) balance + secondary motor (ball on a tray) and 3) balance + secondary cognitive (2-back). During the execution of these three conditions, SICI was measured with TMS by applying single pulse (120 % aMT) and double pulse stimulations (70 % + 120 % aMT) over the motor cortical area representing the right tibialis anterior muscle. Results Training improvements in balance performance trended to be condition-specific (p = .057). While the ST training groups only improved in the single balance task (5.2%), the DT training groups reduced the balance sway in all 3 conditions, but mostly in the dual motor condition (19.1%). Furthermore, there was a trend towards a time*age effect (p = .065), indicating improvements only in young participants (12.6% vs -0.1% in old).There was a significant fourfold interaction for SICI (p = .048), mainly indicating A) an upregulation in young (34.1%) and a downregulation in old (-33.9%) after the training and B) increased SICI after DT training in the dual motor condi…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.5
  topic: section
subject: Dual task
  topic: keywords
subject: balance
  topic: keywords
subject: SICI
  topic: keywords
subject: training
  topic: keywords
creator: Michael Wälchli
creator: Craig Tokuno
creator: Benedikt Lauber
creator: Wolfgang Taube
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Michael Wälchli, Craig Tokuno, Benedikt Lauber, Wolfgang Taube https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 077
ending page: 077
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss077

A definition and model for sustainability in major sports events
type: item
description: Sustainability has become a key concern of major sports events. Yet, the field lacks both a consistent definition and a conceptual model for sustainable major events. This hampers the emergence of a shared theoretical understanding of sustainability as an epistemic object and the building of a practical framework to guide the sector towards greater sustainability. This paper mobilises a three-wave Delphi study with 55 experts to construct a definition of a sustainable major sports event. Through the three Delphi waves, the paper specifies a concentric ‘discus model’ of sustainability with three spheres: environmental factors as a limiting condition on the outside, economics and governance as the foundation at the centre, and social wellbeing as the key goal in the middle. It identifies 18 dimensions (six in each sphere) to serve as a further operationalisation of the conceptual model into a future framework. The paper maps these 18 dimensions on the UN Sustainable Development Goals and suggests that the discus model can serve as a basis for sports events to formulate a research-based sustainability strategy.
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.3
  topic: section
subject: sustainability
  topic: keywords
subject: major sports events
  topic: keywords
subject: Delphi panel
  topic: keywords
subject: conceptual model
  topic: keywords
creator: Shreyya Rajagopal
creator: Léonie Brodmann
creator: Martin Müller
creator: David Gogishvili
creator: Markus Lang
creator: Lucie Schoch
creator: Ioannis Konstantopoulos
creator: Stefano Caneppele
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Shreyya Rajagopal, Léonie Brodmann, Martin Müller, David Gogishvili, Markus Lang, Lucie Schoch, Ioannis Konstantopoulos, Stefano Caneppele https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 076
ending page: 076
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss076

Sport values and sustainability?
type: item
description: Introduction United Nations call for all nations to act together towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and recalls that this collective transformation requires the development of shared values into citizens that are in line with SDGs. Sport is particularly highlighted in this perspective as it is supposed to intrinsically convey values associated to sustainability that would be internalized by practitioners. To go beyond this ideology, this study aims to review empirical findings establishing the values intrinsically salient in sport, their internalization or not by practitioners and the processes explaining this internalization. Methods Following PRISMA guidelines, we conducted a systematic review through Google Scholar, Semantic Scholar, and ERIC database using values of sport, sport values, sporting values, and athletic values keywords (n=7992). 32 studies published between 1990 and 2023 were retained. These papers comprised empirical qualitative and quantitative studies on sport values and their development in sport. Inclusion criteria were notably comprised of participants’ physical involvement in sport (e.g., physical education students, athletes, coaches), and rigorous research practices (MMAT, Hong et al., 2018). Data extraction followed a three-steps process resulting in descriptive data (e.g., sport type, participants), an in-depth analysis of sport values (e.g., terminology, type), and processes explaining value development in sport. Results Analyses revealed 79 sport values, with 13 of them representing 50% of total occurrence (i.e., fairness, winning, obedience, health and fitness, contract maintenance, achievement, skills, public image, honesty, sportspersonship, hedonism, caring, leadership). Some of these sport values were found to be in conflict with athletes’ personal values (e.g., winning). The values developed by practitioners during sport differed based on gender, age, and the type of sport. Finally, the processes highlighted to expla…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.3
  topic: section
subject: sustainability
  topic: keywords
subject: sport
  topic: keywords
subject: values
  topic: keywords
subject: systematic review
  topic: keywords
creator: Tess Kate Schweizer
creator: Nicolas Margas
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Tess Kate Schweizer, Nicolas Margas https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 075
ending page: 075
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss075

Mega-events and the climate: what’s the game?
type: item
description: Introduction: The Olympics and the Men's Football World Cup are both significant carbon emitters, yet they hold potential for raising awareness and driving action on climate change (Chalip, 2006; Martiskainen & Sovacool, 2021). Due to their visibility and political leverage, these mega-events are expected to lead by example in combatting climate crisis. This study provides a coherent analysis of their carbon emissions, carbon intensity and the development of climate-related policies. Methods: We collected information on the evolution of climate-related policies and actual and projected carbon emissions for these events from 2000 to 2026 (Gogishvili et al., 2024), ameliorating the paucity of systematic research on this topic (Wilby et al., 2023). Data were sourced from official bid documents, supplemented by third-party sources where necessary. Carbon intensity was calculated as total emissions divided by outputs, such as revenue and athletes, to show the amount of carbon emitted per unit of production, providing a standardized measure across different activities and sectors. Results: Over the study period, the carbon emissions were between 2.0 and 4.5 million tonnes of CO₂e for the Olympics and 1.65 to 3.63 million tonnes of CO₂e for the Men's Football World Cup. Although FIFA's range is smaller, its carbon intensity is significantly higher than of the Olympics, both per athlete and per million USD spent. Emissions are primarily driven by venue construction and spectator travel, highlighting the urgent need for systemic reductions. Climate concerns emerged on the agendas of FIFA and the IOC but were only formalised recently, largely under pressure from the 2015 Paris Agreement. Events since then claimed climate neutrality or even positivity. Paris 2024 allegedly met Paris Agreement's reduction demands, while the 2022 World Cup introduced sustainability initiatives that were found misleading. However, discrepancies in emissions reporting and lack of quantified standa…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.3
  topic: section
subject: Mega-events
  topic: keywords
subject: climate crisis
  topic: keywords
subject: carbon footprint
  topic: keywords
subject: environmental sustainability
  topic: keywords
subject: FIFA
  topic: keywords
subject: IOC
  topic: keywords
creator: David Gogishvili
creator: Martin Müller
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 David Gogishvili, Martin Müller https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 074
ending page: 074
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss074

The Closer, The Harder? Investigating the use of peripheral vision in 3vs3 counter-attack VR situations in football
type: item
description: Introduction: Peripheral vision has been reported to be functional in team sports when monitoring the movements of multiple players (Vater et al., 2019). Expert soccer players for example report to use their peripheral vision in 3 vs. 3 football situations (Vater et al., 2019). It seems that they anchor their gaze on the player's possession of the ball to monitor peripheral events (e.g., movements of other players). In this experimental study, we challenged the use of peripheral vision by varying the distance between the direct opponent and the participant in a virtual-reality counterattack situation. Methods: Eighteen experienced football players were shown 3 vs. 3 virtual-reality football counter-attack situations from the perspective of the central defender. Their task was to detect the overrun of a wing striker on the right or left while monitoring a direct opponent who is about to pass to the striker that overruns his defender. In case there was an overrun on one side, a defensive movement to the right or left direction should be initiated as before the pass was played, ensuring that they would monitor the peripheral players and not wait for the pass. In half of the trials, both wing strikers out-ran their defenders, so the correct decision was to move after the direct opponent played the pass. As an independent variable, the distance between the direct opponent and the participant was systematically varied (10, 15 and 20 m; the distance at which the pass occurs). Decision accuracy and fixation characteristics were examined. Head orientation and body movements were captured with a 14-camera Optitrack system to assess if participants moved before or after the pass. Gaze behavior was differentiated between the monitoring (before overrun) and the decision-making phase (after overrun). It was predicted that the closer the distance the more likely that participants would fixate on the direct opponent and use peripheral vision instead of foveal vision. Results: The r…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.2
  topic: section
subject: Sport decision-making
  topic: keywords
subject: gaze behavior
  topic: keywords
subject: fixations
  topic: keywords
subject: VR
  topic: keywords
creator: Božo Vukojević
creator: Svitlana Pinchuk
creator: Christian Vater
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Božo Vukojević, Svitlana Pinchuk, Christian Vater https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 073
ending page: 073
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss073

Reproducibility of indirect persistent inward current indicators with neuromuscular electrical stimulation
type: item
description: Introduction Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) has been validated as an efficient tool to train and evaluate the neuromuscular system. Recently, it has been used to estimate persistent inward currents (PICs) in motoneurons (Donnelly et al., 2021). Notably, PICs play an important role in motor unit behavior (Heckman & Enoka, 2012) and are thought to be involved in the centrally mediated responses to NMES. This study aimed to examine the reproducibility of indirect PIC indicators, such as extra force production during wide-pulse high-frequency (WPHF) NMES, sustained electromyographic (EMG) activity following WPHF NMES and force production in response to Achille’s tendon vibration combined with NMES. Methods Twenty-one healthy participants (8 women, 26±4 years) underwent two 10s-trains of WPHF NMES and two 33s-Achille’s tendon vibration combined with NMES bouts on the plantar flexors in two different sessions. Extra force was calculated as the relative percent increase in force between the last and the 2nd second of the stimulation. EMG activity was recorded from the gastrocnemius medialis (GM) and soleus (SOL) muscles with high density grids to evaluate sustained activity spatial distribution. The force increase observed during vibration + NMES, calculated as the difference between the reflexive force during vibration and the initial torque after the first NMES burst was measured and referred as the warm-up effect (Mesquita et al., 2021). Intrasession and intersession reproducibility were assessed with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results Intrasession ICCs for extra force production were excellent, reaching 0.79 and 0.77 for sessions 1 and 2, respectively. Sustained EMG activity showed high reliability, with ICCs of 0.84 and 0.81 for GM, and 0.79 and 0.77 for SOL in sessions 1 and 2. The warm-up effect demonstrated excellent reliability in session 1 (ICC = 0.87) but moderate reliability in session 2 (ICC = 0.51). Intersession reliability was hi…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.2
  topic: section
subject: neuromuscular electrical stimulation
  topic: keywords
subject: persistent inward currents
  topic: keywords
subject: electromyography
  topic: keywords
subject: reproducibility
  topic: keywords
creator: Timothée Popesco
creator: Davide D'Amato Brunetta
creator: Stefano Pata
creator: Nicolas Place
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Timothée Popesco, Davide D'Amato Brunetta, Stefano Pata, Nicolas Place https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 072
ending page: 072
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss072

Optimizing risk in action: Differences between fixated aim points and movement outcomes in throwing
type: item
description: Introduction Movement outcomes are inherently subject to variance. Handling this variance is crucial for successful sensorimotor behaviour – whether in everyday life or in sports –, particularly in high-risk situations. Research using finger-pointing tasks has shown that humans take into account their own motor variance and costs of potential outcomes in movement planning (Trommershäuser et al., 2008). However, the question remains whether this mechanism extends to more complex tasks (Beck et al., 2023). Here, we investigate sensorimotor behaviour under risk in throwing, across three experiments with 20 participants each. Methods Participants’ task was to throw balls on a target circle in a virtual reality (VR) setup, gaining 100 points for each hit. The target was partially overlapped by a penalty circle. We manipulated the consequences of hitting the penalty circle (0 points vs -500 points vs -2000 points) and the distance between both circles (30 cm vs 45 cm vs 60 cm). This task challenged participants to find strategies that optimally trade-off potential penalties and rewards. To capture participants’ strategies, we measured the location of their final gaze fixation before movement – as an indicator of their planned aiming point – and the ball’s impact location. Models of statistical decision theory (Trommershäuser et al., 2008) predict that the optimal aim point horizontally shifts away from the centre of the target circle as soon as the penalty is non-zero. In other words, participants should incorporate a “safety margin”. This horizontal shift should be larger with (1) higher penalties, (2) smaller distances between the target and penalty circle and (3) with higher motor variance. Results In the no-penalty condition, the final fixation and the ball’s impact location were both centred on the target. In the penalty condition, both their final fixations and the ball’s impact location shifted away from the penalty circle, with larger shifts for higher penalties a…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.2
  topic: section
subject: Motor Control
  topic: keywords
subject: Sensorimotor Uncertainty
  topic: keywords
subject: Statistical Decision Theory
  topic: keywords
creator: Stephan Zahno
creator: Damian Beck
creator: Ralf Kredel
creator: André Klostermann
creator: Ernst-Joachim Hossner
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Stephan Zahno, Damian Beck, Ralf Kredel, André Klostermann, Ernst-Joachim Hossner https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 071
ending page: 071
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss071

Associations between Prospective Memory, Executive Function and Physical Activity in Schoolchildren
type: item
description: Introduction Prospective memory refers to a system that allows us to remember to perform an intended task without an explicit reminder. Executive function such as working memory or inhibition are responsible for goal-directed behavior and cognitive control processes. Those cognitive abilities are critical for successfully coping with everyday challenges from school age to late adulthood (Diamond, 2013). There is evidence for a link between cognitive performance and physical activity (Donnelly et al., 2016). While there are some studies that have found associations between executive functions and physical activity, little research has examined such links with prospective memory, although a possible relationship is suggested in the literature (Loprinzi et al., 2018). Further research provided evidence that prospective memory is related to working memory and attention (Ball et al., 2022). Thus, this study aimed to investigate associations between prospective memory, executive functions, and physical activity in schoolchildren. Methods 99 primary schoolchildren aged 10.1 ± 1.4 years underwent a prospective memory task, which was nested in a 1-Back and a Flanker paradigm. The Flanker task served as distractor task after prospective cues were introduced and participants had to remember that prospective trials embeeded in a subsequent 1-Back task required a different response. In addition, their physical activity levels were recorded over seven consecutive days using accelerometers (ActiGraph wGT3X-BT, ActiGraph, Pensacola, USA). For the same time period, participants also completed a 7-day physical activity recall questionnaire Objective and subjective physical activity was categorized into moderate physical activity (MPA), vigorous physical activity (VPA) and moderate-to vigurous physical activity (MVPA). Results Partial correlations that controlled for age and sex showed that higher MVPA (recorded from subjective and objective assessments) was associated with higher acc…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.1
  topic: section
subject: prospective memory
  topic: keywords
subject: working memory
  topic: keywords
subject: inhibitory control
  topic: keywords
subject: physical activity
  topic: keywords
subject: children
  topic: keywords
creator: Anouk Irina Glättli
creator: Markus Gerber
creator: Sebastian Ludyga
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Anouk Irina Glättli, Markus Gerber, Sebastian Ludyga https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 070
ending page: 070
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss070

Professional Action Competence in Education for Sustainability Among Pre-service Physical Education Teachers: A Mixed Method Approach
type: item
description: Education for sustainability (EfS) represents a complex question that appears to require a holistic and emancipatory vision to achieve its long-term objectives. The action competence model for EfS aligns with this vision by considering both self-efficacy, knowledge, and willingness. Physical education (PE) offers a unique opportunity to implement EfS through the action competence model. This approach emphases the bodily dimension, learning through action, and affective and sensory aspects. However, EfS is not currently implemented in PE yet. It is therefore important to investigate the professional action competence of future PE teachers to identify potential barriers to implementing EfS in PE. A mixed-methods approach appears to be the most suitable for accurately assessing Professional Action Competence in Education for Sustainability. The objectives of this study were: (1) to evaluate the physical education pre-service teachers’ Professional Action Competence for Sustainability (PACesd); (2) to establish profiles of physical education pre-service teachers based on their PACesd; and (3) to analyze the associations between the self-reported profiles and an external assessment of pre-service teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) in EfS. A total of 412 French physical education pre-service teachers (Mean Age = 22.61 years, 141 females, and 271 males) completed French versions of the PACesd questionnaire. Additionally, they were asked to respond to open-ended questions indicating: (1) the words they associate with the concept of sustainability and EfS, and (2) examples of how physical education can educate students about sustainability, to conduct an external assessment of pre-service PE teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge in EfS. The responses were coded into categories using deductive approach. Following descriptive and correlation analyses, a latent profile analysis approach was used to establish PACesd profiles. Quantitative analyses were complemented …
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.1
  topic: section
subject: sustainability
  topic: keywords
subject: physical education
  topic: keywords
subject: pre-service teachers
  topic: keywords
subject: action competence
  topic: keywords
creator: Valérian Cece
creator: Thomas Royet
creator: Olivier Vors
creator: Vanessa Lentillon-Kaestner
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Valérian Cece, Thomas Royet, Olivier Vors, Vanessa Lentillon-Kaestner https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 069
ending page: 069
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss069

Evaluation of the Education Plan and Activities of Swiss Sport Integrity. A report of a science-practice co-operation.
type: item
description: Introduction The WADA requires the National Antidoping Organisations (NADOs) to annually evaluate its education plan and activities to accomplish the International Standard for Education of the WADA Code (2021), preferably done in cooperation with an independent external partner from the field of science and research. Therefore, Swiss Sport Integrity (SSI) and Institute of Sport Science (ISPW) entered into a cooperation agreement in 2020 for annual evaluating SSI’s education plan and activities from 2021 to 2024. This contribution aims to reporting the process of such a science-practice cooperation and identifying factors that are critical for effective cooperative evaluation. Methods The evaluation concept was developed on sound theoretical considerations following evaluation critieria guidelines (e.g., Sander, 2006). The evaluation focus of SSI’s education plan and activities covers three aspects: basic principles, long-term aims, and key areas for action according to WADA Code. For data gathering, a questionnaire to Swiss elite athletes (Swiss Olympic Card holder) and a questionnaire to their respective coaches as instruments were applied. The questionnaires were conducted during the year as part of the SSI education courses, which are mandatory for all Swiss elite athletes. Additionally, internal data from SSI and Swiss Olympic were gathered. The analysed data were merged and summarised in the annual management report for WADA. The process of cooperation was then reflected among the actors involved in the evaluation with identifying phases approached and assessing critical factors, both restricting and promoting, for effective cooperation. Results As large part of the results – the athletes’ responses – are confidential and limited to internal use of SSI and reporting to WADA, the presentation is limited to displaying the athletes’ and coaches’ questionnaires and pointing to the methodological challenges and limitations faced. The presentation’s focus is on repo…
subject: Symposia / Orals 4.1
  topic: section
subject: Anti-Doping
  topic: keywords
subject: practical implications
  topic: keywords
subject: project cooperation
  topic: keywords
creator: Christoffer Klenk
creator: Jonas Personeni
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Christoffer Klenk, Jonas Personeni https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 068
ending page: 068
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss068

Key Performance Indicators in Freestyle Swimming: Comparing Start, Turn, and Swimming Velocity in Top-Elite Female Junior and Adult Swimmers
type: item
description: Introduction Due to the increasing importance of start and turn performance in swim races throughout the recent years, the aim of the study was to compare the effect of start performance, turn performance, and swimming velocity on the race result between top-elite female junior and adult swimmers across all distances of freestyle pool races (50 m to 1500 m) and to provide a software tool to predict race outcomes based on the various key performance indicators. Methods In the present study, a total of 289 individual freestyle races from female participants at the European long-course championship, as well as 391 freestyle races at the Junior European long-course championship were analysed. All heats, semi-finals, and finals across all freestyle distances (50 m to 1500 m) were included. Linear regression analyses were used to assess the relationship between overall race time and three independent variables: start performance, turn performance, and swimming velocity. Regression equations were used to develop the predictor software tool. Results Start times showed the greatest effect on sprint distances, i.e. 50 m and 100 m. However, the effect diminished towards longer race distances. While swimming velocity had the largest effect on the race results across all distances for both junior and adult swimmers, the effect of turn times increased from 100 m to 400 m for both, junior and adult swimmers. Interestingly, the effect of turn times decreased again for 800 m and 1500 m races. Generally, there was a trend towards a greater effect of turn times in adult swimmers. The regression model explained 98-99% of the variance in race performance (R-squared = 0.98-0.99). Based on the regression equations a software tool (potential predictor) was created to allow coaches and federation officials to identify individual swimmers’ potentials and create benchmarks for future development. Discussion/Conclusion For both junior and adult swimmers, swimming velocity had the greatest effe…
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.6
  topic: section
subject: key performance indicators
  topic: keywords
subject: race analysis
  topic: keywords
subject: female junior swimmers
  topic: keywords
subject: female adult swimmers
  topic: keywords
creator: Chantal Widmer
creator: Julia Hernandez
creator: Michael Romann
creator: Wolfgang Taube
creator: Dennis-Peter Born
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Chantal Widmer, Julia Hernandez, Michael Romann, Wolfgang Taube, Dennis-Peter Born https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 067
ending page: 067
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss067

Automated Video Assistant Referee in Lead Climbing
type: item
description: Introduction In lead climbing, points are awarded for each hold held, which are then primarily decisive for the ranking. These points are awarded immediately after an attempt by a judge who observed the athlete. Competition organisers are required to make video recordings, but these are only viewed by the head referee in case of an appeal. Our work aims to enhance the objectivity of judging. Our approach is based on applying pose estimators to video footage that is recorded anyway, and a subsequent analysis that determines metrics for judging. We want to tune our approach based on the scores given by judges while considering regulations of the International Federation of Sport Climbing. Methods Our video footage was filmed by the Swiss Alpine Club for judging at the European Climbing Championships 2024 in Villar and at the Swiss Championships 2024 in Lenzburg. Initially, twenty videos (30 seconds each including the fall from the wall towards the end) were extracted. Half of the videos were cropped to focus on the athlete. Thus, a total of ten videos from Villar (outdoor) were analysed – five uncropped (five men), five with focus (women) – and ten videos from Lenzburg (indoor) – five uncropped (five women), five with focus (five men). As a first step, two pose estimators were evaluated regarding processing speed in frames per second (FPS) and percentage of frames in which a pose was detected: BlazePose from Google which has already been used for climbing research (Kim et al., 2023) and Real-Time Multi-Person Pose Estimation (RTMO) (Lu et al., 2024). Results BlazePose demonstrated a higher average processing speed compared to RTMO: 22 FPS vs. 2 FPS. In uncropped videos, BlazePose detected a pose in 5% of outdoor video footage and 33% of indoor video footage. In close-up videos, BlazePose detected poses in 99% of outdoor video footage and 93% of indoor video footage. RTMO achieved a 100% pose detection rate across all videos whereby a subsequent inspection showed that …
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.6
  topic: section
subject: markerless tracking
  topic: keywords
subject: pose estimation
  topic: keywords
subject: sports technology
  topic: keywords
creator: Eliane Künzler
creator: David Roder
creator: Urs Stöcker
creator: Peter Wolf
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Eliane Künzler, David Roder, Urs Stöcker, Peter Wolf https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 066
ending page: 066
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss066

Exploring the Determinants of Long-Term Physical Activity Maintainenance from a Maintainers Perspective: What do they say?
type: item
description: Purpose The psychological and physiological benefits of physical activity (PA) are maximized through maintaining regular physical activity long-term. However, the determinants leading to physical activity maintenance (PAM) are not well-understood. Most studies to-date have not specifically asked individuals who are successful PA maintainers. Therefore, this qualitative study asked individuals who have maintained the WHO PA guidelines for at least five years what they believe are important determinants for long term PAM. Findings from this investigation have potentially direct implications for PAM theory and intervention. Methods A constructivist grounded theory approach was employed to explore the phenomenon through obtaining the information from the PA maintainers themselves (n=10; mean age=39 (SD=16) years old; 60% female; mean moderate-to vigorous PA=567 (SD=670) min/week; mean strength training 2.6 times per week at 57 min per time; PAM mean=16.5 (SD=10.6, range=5-35) years; 50% rural, 20% agglomeration, 30% urban). Data was collected through in-depth interviews. Participants’ PA profile ranged from individual sports such as gym workout, brisk walking, cycling, or CrossFit, to team sports like volleyball, gymnastics, and other voluntary sports clubs’ activities. The interviews were transcribed, anonymized, coded into meaning segments, sorted into themes, and finally grouped into categories. The themes and categories were solely based on the content. Results Of the 1127 coded segments, 21 themes had emerged relevant to the research question. These 21 themes were organized into six broad categories for PAM: the fundamental factor of priority; three core factors for PAM that determine priority – well-being, adaptability, and enjoyment; and two supporting factors of organization and community that are a result of and support continued PAM. Discussion This study importantly expands the existing literature about PAM, revealing that adaptability, enjoyment, and well-be…
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.5
  topic: section
subject: Physical Activity
  topic: keywords
subject: Maintenance
  topic: keywords
subject: Qualitative
  topic: keywords
subject: Priority
  topic: keywords
subject: Theory
  topic: keywords
creator: Livia Kellerhals
creator: Claudio R. Nigg
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Livia Kellerhals, Claudio R. Nigg https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 065
ending page: 065
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss065

Narratives of swiss football players about talent - and positive youth development: The role of social agents and agency.
type: item
description: Introduction Recent calls emphasize integrating the literature on positive youth development (PYD) and talent development (e.g. Holt & McDonough, 2024). Both highlight the critical role of proximal social agents within the family (parents, siblings) and the sport subsystem (coaches, peers; Dorsch et al., 2022) while advocating for relational-developmental systems (RDS; Overton, 2015) as a guiding theoretical framework. Central to this framework is the shift from static, one-size-fits-all approaches to a dynamic, idiographic perspective where intertwined relationships between athletes and their social environments influence each other over time. Despite this shift, analyses applying such frameworks in football remain scarce (Verbeek et al., 2023). Through the RDS lens, this study aims to explore the developmental pathways of football athletes by reconstructing how they were shaped by—and actively shaped—their environments from childhood to early adulthood. Specifically, it examines how dynamic interactions with social agents facilitated or hindered their football career and PYD. Methods This study builds on a longitudinal quantitative investigation that tracked 109 Swiss elite youth football players born in 1999 throughout their developmental journeys. To gain deeper understanding of individual developmental pathways, a qualitative narrative approach was adopted. While data collection is ongoing, semi-structured interviews, guided by a timelining approach, will be conducted with 20 players: 10 who transitioned to professional careers and 10 who opted out or dropped out. Interviews focus on athletes’ perceptions of their proximal social agents reflecting on significant experiences, key relationships, and perceived developmental outcomes. To facilitate further discussion, players will review and reflect on selected data from their earlier developmental assessments. Interviews will be analyzed using a narrative life story approach. Results Preliminary findings will be p…
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.5
  topic: section
subject: talent development environment
  topic: keywords
subject: relational-developmental system
  topic: keywords
subject: coaching
  topic: keywords
subject: parents
  topic: keywords
creator: Philipp Koch
creator: Bryan Charbonnet
creator: Noora Ronkainen
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Philipp Koch, Bryan Charbonnet, Noora Ronkainen https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 064
ending page: 064
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss064

Engagement and Follower Growth: Social Media Strategies of Swiss Athletes at the Paris Olympics
type: item
description: Introduction Social media platforms enable athletes to market themselves and engage with the public, bypassing traditional media gatekeepers. Understanding the factors driving engagement and follower growth on social media during high-visibility events is critical for athletes to leverage their athletic performance for brand growth and endorsement opportunities (Bredikhina et al., 2023; Su et al., 2020). This study investigates how athletic performance and social media behavior influence engagement and follower growth on Instagram among Swiss athletes during the Summer Olympic Games in Paris 2024. Methods The Instagram activity of the 128-member Swiss Olympic delegation to Paris 2024 was analyzed, focusing on posts made during the 2024 Olympics. Instagram was selected due to its large user base in Switzerland (Kemp, 2024) and as all but one of the delegation members held an Instagram account. Follower growth was calculated and the top-performing athletes, including medalists and the top ten in follower growth metrics, were selected for a detailed analysis. In total, 183 posts of 21 athletes were coded for post type, likes, comments, engagement rate, visual elements, caption themes and collaborations. Pearson and Spearman correlation analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between engagement metrics, follower growth, post type and frequency, as well as Olympic results. Results Athletic performance positively correlated with engagement rate (r = .288, p < .01). Comments showed a moderate positive correlation with follower growth (r = .508, p < .05) and post frequency (r = .603, p < .05). However, post frequency negatively correlated with the percentage of follower growth (r = −.442, p < .05). Notably, post type and athletic performance were negatively correlated (r = −.214, p < .05). No significant correlations were found between athletic results and overall follower growth. However, it must be noted that these analyses are based on a subset of the delegat…
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.5
  topic: section
subject: Event leverage
  topic: keywords
subject: social media
  topic: keywords
subject: Olympic athletes
  topic: keywords
creator: Larssyn Staley
creator: Florian Droux
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Larssyn Staley, Florian Droux https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 063
ending page: 063
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss063

Effects of Neuromuscular Training on Performance and Injury Prevention in Youth Team Sports: Development of an Evidence-Based Educational Program
type: item
description: Introduction Team sports have become increasingly fast-paced and athletic, particularly at the elite international level. Over the past 15 years, a widening performance gap in explosiveness and speed has been observed between Swiss youth and elite athletes in team sports. Promising talents with deficits in these areas face growing difficulties in establishing themselves at the elite level. Concurrently, there has been a rapid increase in scientific publications demonstrating the positive effects of neuromuscular training on explosiveness, speed, and in addition on injury prevention. Objective: To develop an evidence-based educational program for coaches to optimize neuromuscular training in youth team sports, addressing the challenges of complex knowledge transfer, diverse stakeholders, and heterogeneous training approaches. Methods The "Power to Win" project was initiated by the Swiss Federal Institute of Sport Magglingen in collaboration with Swiss national sports federations and Swiss Olympic. A multi-step approach was employed: Formation of a project group comprising scientists, practitioners, and stakeholders Development of an impact model focusing on optimizing athlete training through improved coach knowledge, awareness, and motivation. Analysis of training content, coach knowledge, and educational courses. Creation of a roadmap based on scientific evidence and expert knowledge. Definition of key concepts and models (e.g., performance model, long-term athlete development model). Structuring of knowledge according to educational levels (Jugend+Sport, national federations, coach education) and along the talent pathway (FTEM model, F1 to T4). Stage-specific adaptation of knowledge transfer considering available time for education and existing knowledge. Results The project resulted in the development of five digital learning courses for self-study and for integration into existing training programs. These courses are freely accessible online and designed to faci…
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.3
  topic: section
subject: neuromuscular training
  topic: keywords
subject: youth sports
  topic: keywords
subject: injury prevention
  topic: keywords
subject: performance enhancement
  topic: keywords
subject: coach education
  topic: keywords
subject: evidence-based practice
  topic: keywords
creator: Markus Tschopp
creator: Nicklaus Hess
creator: Pascal Andrey
creator: Adrian Rothenbühler
creator: Fabian Studer
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Markus Tschopp, Nicklaus Hess, Pascal Andrey, Adrian Rothenbühler, Fabian Studer https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 057
ending page: 057
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss057

Implementation of Compensation-Sensitive Shot-Style-Feedback of Aiming Point Training Data at the Swiss Shooting Federation
type: item
description: Introduction The practical application of scientific knowledge is essential for improving performance in Olympic air rifle shooting. At the Swiss Shooting Federation, for example, we have implemented an innovative training concept based on our research into compensation-sensitive shot styles and the importance of individual movement phases (Tartaruga & Kredel, 2021, 2022, 2024). Methods We have been collecting SCATT training sessions from athletes via email and utilizing a MATLAB script that waits for and automatically analyses incoming data. The analysis is performed according to the methods proposed in our study, including the use of a validated movement phase segmentation algorithm of aiming point trajectory data and the identification of compensation-sensitive shot styles based on this data. We consider athlete-specific preferences and compare current data with results from the last ten years to provide a social and normative reference orientation. Results Through individualised analysis of shooting data, coaches can develop tailored training plans that address the specific needs of each athlete and receive immediate feedback on the technical impact of recent training sessions on different technical characteristics. Comparison of historical data also provides valuable insight into performance development across disciplines, gender, and age for specific technical characteristics. These insights are used to optimize coaches’ education programs by providing a generalised understanding of the technical development of young athletes in shooting. Furthermore, some technical characteristics even have predictive validity for real shooting performance and therefore appear to be suitable for talent identification. Discussion/Conclusion The integration of compensation-sensitive shot-styles and the consideration of individual preferences have led to a higher acceptance of the tailored feedback reports than the previous more generalised reports. In the future, we plan to ext…
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.3
  topic: section
subject: neuromuscular training
  topic: keywords
subject: youth sports
  topic: keywords
subject: injury prevention
  topic: keywords
subject: performance enhancement
  topic: keywords
subject: coach education
  topic: keywords
subject: evidence-based practice
  topic: keywords
creator: Dino Tartaruga
creator: Ralf Kredel
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Dino Tartaruga, Ralf Kredel https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 056
ending page: 056
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss056

Bridging Research and Practice: Swiss Olympic’s Approach to Sports Science and Innovation
type: item
description: Swiss Olympic is the umbrella organisation for Swiss sport and supports the national sports federations at various levels, increasingly also in the area of (sports) science. Research, development and innovation are key factors in remaining competitive in the international sports competition. Since 2018, the funds available for applied sports science have been significantly increased. With a budget of CHF 1.5 million per year, Swiss Olympic's ‘Sports Science’ funding programme is an essential source of funding for Swiss elite sport. The aim of the ‘Sports Science’ funding programme is to promote practice-oriented (sports) science in the federations. This is to be achieved on the one hand by subsidising scientific staff and on the other by promoting scientific measures and projects. In addition, the Sports Innovation Hub was launched in 2024 to increase competitiveness through innovative ideas and collaborative approaches. A maximum funding application of CHF 200,000 can be triggered per project. The fundings are awarded exclusively to national member federations of Swiss Olympic through applications. The ‘embedded scientist’, a (sports) scientist embedded in the federation structure, is proving to be a promising model for conducting the most targeted and practice-oriented research possible due to its proximity to athletes, coaches and officials. Nevertheless, linking universities, research and business remains a challenge, one of the three key points of Stöckli's (Chef de Mission Swiss Olympic) final statements after the 2024 Summer Olympics. References Swiss Olympic. (2021). Ausführungsbestimmungen Sportwissenschaft [Implementation regulations for sport science]. https://www.swissolympic.ch/dam/jcr:267287de-d451-4b10-bfc8-c0b478201283/Ausf%C3%BChrungsbestimmungen_Sportwissenschaft_2021_DE.pdf Swiss Olympic. (2023). Ausführungsbestimmungen Sports Innovation Hub [Implementation regulations Sports Innovation Hub]. https://www.swissolympic.ch/dam/jcr:e2a34443-f52f-4bbc-…
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.3
  topic: section
creator: Sarah Geboltsberger
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Sarah Geboltsberger https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 055
ending page: 055
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss055

Initiatives to Enhance Research-Practice Integration in the Swiss Sport System
type: item
description: The integration of research and practice remains a challenge in elite sport. While scientific insights are increasingly valued, their implementation lags behind. Bridging this gap requires targeted funding programs, well-defined roles, and innovative projects that connect research and practice. This symposium highlights three distinct approaches aimed at fostering this integration. The first presentation by Swiss Olympic provides an overview of funding structures designed to strengthen the connection between science and practice. It outlines the objectives and criteria of these initiatives and discusses the challenges encountered in their implementation. The second presentation focuses on the concept of "embedded scientists," professionals embedded within sport organizations who address scientific questions closely aligned with the organizations' needs. This offers insights into practical challenges and success factors for achieving effective research-practice integration. The third presentation introduces the "power to win" project, a collaborative initiative between Swiss Olympic and multiple federations. The project leader reflects on the outcomes and evaluates the project in terms of its contribution to bridging the gap between research and practice. This symposium provides insights into strategies and models that enhance collaboration between research and practice in sport. It invites discussion on how such initiatives can be further developed and implemented.
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.3
  topic: section
subject: knowledge transfer
  topic: keywords
creator: Philipp Röthlin
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Philipp Röthlin https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 054
ending page: 054
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss054

United by Sports? Key Factors affecting Sports Participation in a Sports-based Initiative to Promote Social Integration in Segregated Communities
type: item
description: Introduction Sweden's society has become ethnically diverse, yet social exclusion and segregation remain prevalent problems, particularly in employment, housing, and education (Dahlstedt & Ekholm, 2018). Acknowledging this challenge, the Swedish government, the Swedish Sports Confederation, and sports organizations have invested in sports to promote integration. Sports for integration initiatives are perceived as a tool for enhancing social integration, physical activity, and social capital in segregated cities (Agergaard, 2018). Regular participation is essential for achieving these goals, making it crucial to understand why individuals participate or not in such initiatives and develop social capital (Flensner et al., 2021). While previous research investigated structural and sociocultural engagement boundaries, few studies examine specific program factors that influence participants' willingness to engage, particularly from their own perspectives. This study addresses this gap by investigating the key facilitators and barriers within a sports-based program leading to social integration and the development of social capital among participants from various backgrounds in a highly segregated Swedish city. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine program participants, two youth leaders, and the program manager to gain insights into intra- and interpersonal experiences and perceptions regarding social connections and the development of social capital within the program. Using qualitative content analysis, findings were discussed though the lens of the social integration encompassing four interconnected dimensions (interaction, identification, culturalization, placement) and social capital theory. This framework allows to investigate factors influencing participants' engagement in sports-based integration initiatives, resulting in the identification of key contributing elements (Esser, 2009). Results/Discussion The study concludes that key factors, s…
subject: Symposia / Orals 3.5
  topic: section
subject: sports
  topic: keywords
subject: social integration
  topic: keywords
subject: social capital
  topic: keywords
subject: integration factors
  topic: keywords
subject: program effectiveness
  topic: keywords
subject: adolescents
  topic: keywords
creator: Anna Boemmel
creator: Matthias Buser
creator: Thomas Persson
rights: Copyright (c) 2025 Anna Boemmel, Matthias Buser, Thomas Persson https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
date: 2025-01-27
publication date: 2025-01-27
starting page: 062
ending page: 062
doi: 10.36950/2025.2ciss062