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The goal of this study was to extend the contemporary athlete activism literature by (a) exploring athlete activism beyond a strictly North American context and (b) examining how athlete activism at an organizational/institutional level (i.e., sport organization) may be framed differently than activist efforts at an individual level (i.e., athlete). By examining two examples of activism in German soccer, we show that the framing of both athlete-enacted and organization-enacted examples of activism highlighted the importance of speaking up when human rights are violated, called for the display of solidarity, and discussed the broader political implications for such protests. Additionally, framing of both examples of activism included voices of criticism regarding the sport organizations governing global sport. As calls for accountability of sport organizations suppressing athlete expression are becoming increasingly common in global sport, this study adds to a shifting focus of activism research targeting the sport institutions that often perpetuate the various injustices individual athletes call attention to. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Lateral ankle sprain (LAS) is one of the most common types of injury in football (soccer). Normative baseline data of performance tests for Return to Play (RTP) decision are still lacking. Purpose The primary aim of this study was to generate baseline values for uninjured elite youth football players for a multifactorial RTP assessment and compare with previously published data. A secondary aim was to investigate the use of the Limb Symmetry Index (LSI) as a method to determine whether an athlete passes a performance test or not. Study Design Observational Cohort study Methods Baseline data of performance tests (Y-Balance [YBT-LQ], Heel Rise [HRT]; Singe Leg Squat [SLST]; Single Leg Drop Jump [SLDJ]; Side Hop [SHT]; Figure of 8 Hop [F-8]; Modified Agility T-Test [MAT]) were assessed in 20 elite youth football players, aged 16-21 years. Additionally, the traditional LSI (dividing the result of the non-dominant leg by the result of the dominant leg and multiplying by 100) and directionally corrected LSI (the worst value is divided by the better value and multiplied by 100) were calculated. The test values were compared to previously reported study results. LSI and side-to-side comparisons between dominant and non-dominant leg sides were analyzed using the Wilcoxon test. Results Male elite youth football players achieved better results in the dynamic performance tests (SHT, F-8, and MAT) compared to reference values of the cohorts previously described in the literature: YBT-LQ total score (cm) dominant (dom) 99.3±8.3, non-dominant (ND) 99.5±10.4; HRT (average number) dom. 27.1±5.4, ND 25.2±5.1); SLDJ height (cm) dom 15±5, ND 15±5 and contact time (sec) dom 0.29±0.08, ND 0.29±0.07, Reactive Strength Index (RSI) dom 0.52±0.12, ND 0.50±0.13); SHT (sec) dom 7.12±0.73, ND 7.39±0.93; F-8 (sec) dom 10.52±1.02, ND 10.37±1.04; and MAT (sec) 5.82±0.22. Directionally corrected LSI differed significantly from the traditional calculated LSI (p<0.05). Conclusion The findings of this study highlight the need to determine specific baseline data for RTP testing in male elite youth football players after LAS. The traditional LSI should not be used as a "stand alone method" for determining RTP. LSI calculations should consider the direction of asymmetry to determine passing a performance test or not. Level of evidence 3b [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the exercise intensity of walking football (WF) with walking (WA) and to describe specific movement characteristics of WF. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Sports facilities Saarland University, Germany. Patients: Eighteen patients with cardiovascular risk factors CVRFs and diseases (13 men and 5 women, age: 69610 years). Independent variables: Patients completed a WF match and WA session of 2 x 10 min each. Video analysis was used to characterize movements during WF. Main OutcomeMeasures: Rate of perceived exertion (RPE, Borg Scale 6-20),%maximum heart rate (HRmax), musculoskeletal pain on a visual analog scale (VAS, 1-100 mm) before and up to 72 hours after exercise, and movement patterns during WF. Results: The mean RPE during WF (12.1 6 2.7) and WA (11.9 6 3.0) did not differ (P 5 0.63). The mean HR during WF (79612% of HRmax) was higher than duringWA(71%611%; P, 0.01). The HR variability coefficient of variation during WF (10.3% 6 5.8%) and WA (7.1 6 5.5%) did not differ (P 5 0.13). There was no influence of exercise mode (WF vs WA) on musculoskeletal pain perception (P 5 0.96 for interaction). Injury-inciting activities such as lunges (median: 0.5 [interquartile range (IQR) 0-1.3]) and goal kicks (median: 4 [IQR: 1.8-5.3]) occurred rarely during WF. Conclusions: Walking football might represent an alternative to WA for health prevention programs in patients with CVRF and diseases as it is characterized by a manageable cardiocirculatory strain, moderate RPE, low pain induction, and a low number of injury-inciting activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates relative age effects (RAE) in German youth soccer (Youth Bundesliga A: January 2004 to December 2005 and B: January 2006 to December 2007; highest league in German youth soccer) and its persistence in third-division players. Data from the 2022–2023 season (120 teams, 3,174 players) were analyzed using chi-square tests. Significant RAE was found in the A-series (p < .001), B-series (p < .001), and third-division professionals (p < .001). Notably, RAE was prominent among younger players but less evident in older third-division players (p = .116), indicating a diminishing selection effect with age and professional tenure. Coaches and talent managers are advised to consider RAE and additional factors like player maturity in talent selection for more efficient talent management strategies, especially in youth academies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although people may make sense of concepts like 'talent' and get influenced through discourses reinforced in the media, not much research has investigated the construction of 'talent' in the media or in relation to football, yet. By applying Laclau and Mouffe's discourse-theoretical analysis and aspects of quantitative content analysis to forty-four news articles, this study compares how German and Swedish media construct and reinforce discourses of 'talent' in football. The findings suggest that cross-cultural media share common reference points in shaping discourses on 'football talent'. However, these nodal points are allocated and formed in distinct ways within each country, thus constituting floating signifiers. The study unveils that 'talent' constitutes an empty concept within and across specific cultural settings. Nonetheless, the conceptual notions surrounding talent seems more uniform in Swedish media compared to Germany. Moreover, gender disparities in the context of 'football talent' discourses predominantly link talent with male football players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The potential consequences of repeated concussions in sport are well documented. However, it remains unclear whether the cumulative impact of sports‐related concussions differs between different contact sports. Therefore, the aim of the current study was to investigate the cumulative effects of sports‐related concussions on clinical and neurocognitive health in different contact sports. Materials and Methods: In a prospective multicenter study, we examined 507 (74 females) active professional athletes between 18 and 40 years of age from five different contact sports (soccer, handball, American football, basketball, and ice hockey). Data collection involved concussion history, clinical symptom evaluation, neurocognitive assessment, and the collection of other sports‐related information. Composite scores were built for clinical symptoms (such as neck pain and balance disturbances) and for neurocognitive symptoms (such as memory and attention impairments). Results: Athletes having suffered 3+ concussions in the past showed disproportionally higher clinical symptom severity than athletes with less than three concussions across all sports. The level of clinical symptom burden in athletes with 3+ concussions indicated mild impairment. The number of past concussions did not affect neurocognitive performance. Discussion: Repeated sports‐related concussions appear to have a cumulative impact on clinical—but not cognitive—symptom severity. Although clinical symptom burden in athletes with 3+ concussions in the past was not alarmingly high yet in our sample, increased caution should be advised at this point. Despite few exceptions, results are similar for different contact sports, suggesting a similar multidisciplinary concussion management across all types of sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to better understand current efforts by German soccer fans to defend the game they love, this article sheds light on the deeper relevance of the broad history of association formation in Germany. German soccer culture stands out among the “Big 5” leagues of European soccer for more proactive engagement of club fans, but to date, there has been scarce consideration of how the long history of Vereine and their civic relevance figure in today’s public debates surrounding soccer culture. The value of Mitbestimmung, so central to fans’ fight for soccer today, has strong roots in the widespread formation of associations in the long 19th century. Retracing these roots reveals that while these values are not unique to professional sports, it is in soccer that we see social engagement amid modern paradoxes crystallize in a glocal battle to maintain deeply held social values that reach beyond the playing field of one sport. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By the close of the Golden Twenties, sport in Germany had experienced an exponential rise in popularity, both among the masses and the capitalistic elite. Though the cultural and technological progression of the 1920s was welcomed by many, a distinct fatigue and criticism emerged in the late years of the doomed German republic. The burgeoning cinematic realm facilitated the combination of the popularity of sport, and more specifically football, with pedagogical influence in a time of political upheaval and crisis, illuminating the cultural battlefield at the time. Zoltan Korda’s 1927 film Die elf Teufel elucidates these characteristics of early cinematic landscape in Weimar Germany. By examining the main characters and their interpersonal interactions, Korda’s film sets the stage not only for the fall of the young republic. In analyzing the star player Tommy’s role in the love triangle central to the plot as well as the variations of the “new woman” (‘Gretchen,’ ‘Girl,’ and ‘Garçonne’), this article demonstrates how Korda’s film not only highlights the progressively problematic cultural development at play in the Weimar Republic but also the purported victory of traditional German values over those of international modernity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In soccer substantial work has been invested to identify factors predicting future performance and success. As it concerns psychological characteristics, quantitatively and qualitatively limited research restricts insights on potential differences due to moderating variables such as players' age and developmental stage within the talent pathway. Thus, the purpose of this study was to extend the empirical evidence on psychological characteristics by (a) validating the prognostic power of potential talent predictors for adult success in U17 "elite promotion" stage players and by (b) comparing these results to the group of U12 "talent development" stage players of the former study by Höner and Feichtinger using the same methodological approach. For both, an online survey was utilized to assess psychological variables across the domains of motivation, volition, self-concept, and emotions. Further, players' performance level was determined four years after the assessment (i.e., U12 success criteria: admission to youth academy; U17 success criteria: achieving professional status). The statistical analyses revealed notable differences in the expression and prognostic value of psychological characteristics between the two samples. Among U17 players, dysfunctional (e.g., fear of failure, competitive anxiety) and functional attributes (e.g., hope for success, ego-orientation, competitiveness) significantly predicted individuals' professional status. The results are discussed within the light of potential environmental demands which may influence the role of psychological dispositions and skills throughout talent development. Additionally, the significance of reliable assessments for applied practice is highlighted regarding sport psychological diagnostics and interventions. Lay summary: To optimally support talent development in soccer, researchers and practitioners seek to understand factors which facilitate players' successful progression through talent pathways up to a professional level. The current study highlights psychological characteristics (e.g., hope for success, competitiveness) which predict future performance and should thus be nourished in young players. The results highlight distinct psychological characteristics which seem to be relevant for a successful progression through the talent development pathway of the German FA and should therefore be facilitated within sport psychological service delivery. The results further suggest age/developmental stage dependent differences in the expression functional and dysfunctional psychological attributes and their potential relevance for performance development mid-term. Such moderators need to be considered when planning to implement sport psychological diagnostics and interventions. Long-term monitoring of youth athletes in institutionalized talent pathways (e.g., FAs) can contribute to an optimization of talent development on a local level (e.g., youth academies). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little is known about age-related changes in injury characteristics and burden, and existing data are inconsistent, highlighting the need for new studies on this topic. This study aimed to describe age-related injury risk, severity and burden in a German elite youth football academy. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the 2012/2013 season, reporting 109 time-loss injuries among 138 young athletes playing at an elite football academy in Germany. For the most severe injuries, the injury burden in the different age groups was considered separately. Results: Athletes missed a total of 2536 days of exposure, resulting in an overall incidence of 2.6 per 1000 h (1.7–3.0; 95% CI) and a burden of 60.6 days lost per 1000 h (40.8–80.3; 95% CI). The incidence and burden of joint sprains and muscle injuries were higher in the older age groups. Physeal injuries peaked in the U14 age group during the pubertal growth spurt. Bone injuries and contusions showed no age trend. Conclusion: Injury characteristics vary with age. The overall incidence, severity and burden of injuries increased with the age of the athletes. To ensure the optimal development of young athletes, it is important to be aware of the differences in injury susceptibility between age groups in order to implement tailored prevention programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing literature on talent development predominantly focuses on male athletes, with limited representation of female athletes. This study aims to address this gap by examining the long-term development of female football players in an elite club. Routine lab-based assessments were conducted on 238 athletes across six teams for 7 years to determine how physical, perceptual-cognitive, and skill performance predictors fluctuated with player age and developmental stage (sampling 9−11y, specializing 12−14y, investment 15−18y, and performance +18y). The developmental stage was a significant predictor of improved performance for each talent indicator (p <.001), with each consecutive stage significantly outperforming the previous stage in all domains with moderate to large effect sizes (0.07–0.40 ηp2). Improvement rate was higher in young adolescence (<15) and slower approaching adulthood (>18y). Playing position influenced performance scores on several physical and technical skill predictors (p ≤.001), but not perceptual-cognitive ones (p ≥.11). Players progressed continuously from the sampling to the performance stage, contradicting previously reported plateaus observed when athletes reached the investment stage. Benchmark data are provided across age and playing position to better understand what is required for successful participation at an elite level at varying age groups in female soccer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the emergence of public debates about the obligation of athletes with transnational heritage to perform the national anthem. While the sporting national anthem has a contentious history in Germany, the question of the obligation to sing only emerged in 2010, once Germany’s men’s national football team began to reflect the true diversity of the citizenry. As some players chose to pray or silently focus and reflect during those crucial moments before the match, commentators began to raise questions about their commitment and true loyalties. Discourse around national sports reflects and reconstructs national politics of culture, race, and citizenship. It both symbolizes the optimism of national communities and reveals the fragility of support for celebrated “role models of integration.” Every time the anthem plays and the cameras pan player’s faces, the audience is invited to scrutinize and interpret their emotions and motivations. Beyond the right to judge, media discourse has established the public’s entitlement to command (minoritized) players’ bodies. This study analyzes the asymmetrical power of competing narrations by the mainstream media and players themselves. However, while players’ voices were elicited only to be dismissed, the persistent non-performance of the anthem exerted its own counterhegemonic effect. Athletes’ assertion of control over their bodies and voices became an act of resistance. While this debate demonstrates the depth of racist logics underlying the self-declared positivity of “soccer patriotism,” it also reveals how small counterhegemonic acts can shatter that benign façade by making racism visible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of evidence regarding injury incidence in German elite youth football academies, and the risk of re-injury is unknown. Therefore, the objectives of this study were (1) to determine injury patterns and incidence in an elite youth football academy in Germany, (2) to monitor overuse-/trauma-related injuries over the course of the season, and (3) determine the risk of re-injury. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in the 2012/2013 season among 138 male players from an elite youth football academy in Germany. Injuries were recorded according to the consensus statement on injury definitions and data collection in studies of football injuries. Injury incidence was reported as the number of injuries per 1000 h of exposure and the number of injuries per squad season. Results: A total of 109 injuries were reported, resulting in a cumulative time-loss of 2536 days. A squad of 25 players sustained 19.7 injuries per season, with an average of 23.3 days (15.7–30.9; 95% CI lower-upper) of absence per injury. Ligament sprains (28%), muscle strains (19%) and physeal injuries (12%) were the most common causes of time-loss. Physeal injuries were the most common severe type of injury (29%), with a mean time-loss of 29.7 days (18.2–41.2; 95% CI lower-upper). Re-injuries accounted for 3% of all injuries and resulted in significantly more time-loss than non-re-injuries (60 vs. 23 days; p = 0.01). Conclusion: In the youth academies studied, a team of 25 players sustained an average of 19.7 injuries per season, resulting in a cumulative time-loss of 459 days. Physeal injuries are a major contributor to severe injuries and therefore require special attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present research tested the impact of score line, spectator presence and game location on athletes' non‐verbal behaviour (NVB). Two studies (N = 240; N = 160) tested whether the NVB of soccer players differed as a function of score line, spectator‐presence and game location by asking participants to guess the current score, the dominance, pride and confidence of soccer players in videos. Results demonstrated that NVB ratings were more negative when the athletes were trailing (less dominant, less proud, and less confident) compared to leading. Study 1 showed more non‐verbal expressiveness (social facilitation) of pleasant feelings (being in a high lead) and lower expressiveness (social inhibition) of negative feelings (trailing) in the presence of spectators. Study 2 indicated that leading at away games led to higher non‐verbal expressiveness, whereas leading at home games led to less non‐verbal expressiveness in the presence of a supportive audience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The VAR has introduced a new element to football. Before, a decision to award a penalty kick could not be reversed. The player taking the penalty could take it relatively quickly after the referee called the foul. After the introduction of the VAR, every penalty kick decision is replayed by the VAR and also quite often reviewed on-field. As a consequence, time between the initial decision by the referee and the actual penalty kick has increased substantially. We examined the influence of the time-interval duration between the foul and the actual penalty kick on the conversion probability using a logit model. Also, we assessed the consequences of a VAR intervention, if any. We used data on all 2888 penalties awarded in top leagues in England, Spain, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and the UEFA Champions League, over the course of five seasons (2015/2016–2019/2020). We found that the duration between the foul and the moment the penalty is taken does not impact the conversion probability. However, whether or not the VAR intervenes with the referee's decision has a negative effect on the conversion probability of penalty kicks. Football teams and coaches should incorporate this element of uncertainty in training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Concerns about short‐ and long‐term consequences of repetitive heading contributed to heading restrictions in youth football in some countries. This prospective longitudinal cohort study aims to describe heading exposure in children's and youth football over two seasons using standardized video analysis. Methods: All matches and training sessions of a male Under‐11 (n = 29), Under‐15 (n = 28), Under‐19 (n = 38), and female Under‐17 (n = 39) team were videotaped during the seasons 2019–2020 and 2020–2021. Heading frequencies and characteristics were analyzed. Individual heading exposure is presented as average incidence rates (IR) per 1000 match/training hours. Results: In 275 matches and 673 training sessions, 22 921 headers were observed. Heading IR per player in matches was 1256 (Under‐11 m), 1608 (Under‐15 m), 1050 (Under‐17 f), and 1966 (Under‐19 m). In training sessions, IR per player was 739 (Under‐11 m), 2206 (Under‐15 m), 1661 (Under‐17 f), and 1419 (Under‐19 m). Five Under‐15 males headed the ball five to eight times per training on average. Most headers were performed without heading duels. Flight distance was predominantly 5–20 m (54%) in matches and <5 m (65%) in training. While head impact location most frequently was at frontal areas, one‐third of all headers in Under‐11 in matches hit temporal, parietal, and occipital parts of the head. Conclusion: Heading incidence was low in the youngest age group, whereas (predominantly five) Under‐15 males showed very high heading exposures in training. In assessment and regulation of heading burden, training sessions and individual heading behavior should specifically be addressed. Recommendations for heading the ball in practice should account for individual and age‐related differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently an individualisation algorithm has been developed and shown to significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy of creatine kinase (CK) and urea in endurance sports and Badminton. In this study, the applicability and benefit of this algorithm was evaluated using repeated measures data from 161 professional German soccer players monitored during the 2015–2017 seasons. Venous blood samples were collected after a day off (recovered state) and after a minimum of two strenuous training sessions within 48 h (non-recovered state) and analysed for CK and urea. Group-based reference ranges were derived from that same dataset to ensure the best possible reference for comparison. A z-test was conducted to analyse differences in error rates between individualised and group-based classifications. CK values for the individualised approach showed significantly lower error rates in the assessment of muscle recovery compared to both a population-based (p <.001; z-value: −17.01; test-pass error rate: 21 vs. 67%; test-fail: 19 vs. 64%) and a group-based cut-off (p <.001; z-value: −15.29; test-pass error rate: 65%; test-fail: 67%). It could be concluded that the assessment of muscle recovery in soccer using individualised interpretations of blood-borne markers may offer higher diagnostic accuracy than a population-based and a sample-specific group-based approach. Highlights Assessing muscle recovery via CK using individualised ranges seems to offer a higher diagnostic accuracy than a sample-specific group-based analysis. Using an individualised algorithm seems to be a promising approach to overcome diagnostic problems arising from large inter- and intraindividual variability in blood parameters as it significantly improved the diagnostic accuracy of CK as a recovery marker. As recovery assessment in elite soccer ultimately aims at the accurate detection of differences in the individual player this algorithm seems to offer coaches and sport scientists a more sensitive approach compared to group-specific evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse the competitive effects of the centralised sale of football media rights in Europe, focusing on the "Big Five" countries (England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain). Contrary to the findings of European competition authorities, we consider that there are arguments in favour of the relevant market for domestic media rights being club- or even match-specific. This raises the question of what competition is restricted by the centralised sale if the rights on offer have limited or no substitutability. We conclude that the centralised sale of media rights is unlikely to be anticompetitive and may have procompetitive effects if the media rights of different clubs are complementary instead of substitutable. In addition, there may be efficiency gains from the bundling of media rights. Under a club or match-specific market definition, a no-single-buyer rule likely reduces the benefits from the centralised sale and may harm consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explored the cultural and career transition experiences of two elite West African footballers in Germany using the approach of interpretive biography. By analysing data collected through semi--structured interviews, the players' narratives revealed a range of experiences emerging at different temporal points or life domains. The experiences included the psychosocial states of pre-transition, the challenges associated with language and weather, the increased demands of professionalism, the challenge of adapting to a new environment and routines of daily life, the superficiality of relationships and the attendant loneliness. It however, advanced literature by demonstrating how an African footballer in Europe may locate self and progress career within the European football economy and how a high-status African migrant athlete may use his social position to characterise self in a certain manner so as to exercise the right to belong. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Assessments of executive functions (EFs) with varying levels of perceptual information or action fidelity are common talent-diagnostic tools in soccer, yet their validity still has to be established. Therefore, a longitudinal development of EFs in high-level players to understand their relationship with increased exposure to training is required.Methods: A total of 304 high-performing male youth soccer players (10-21 years old) in Germany were assessed across three seasons on various sport-specific and non-sport-specific cognitive functioning assessments.Results: The posterior means (90% highest posterior density) of random slopes indicated that both abilities predominantly developed between 10 and 15 years of age. A plateau was apparent for domain-specific abilities during adolescence, whereas domain-generic abilities improved into young adulthood.Conclusion: The developmental trajectories of soccer players' EFs follow the general populations' despite long-term exposure to soccer-specific training and game play. This brings into question the relationship between high-level experience and EFs and renders including EFs in talent identification questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the players' risk of a subsequent injury after sustaining concussive injuries and their return-to-competition in German professional men's football. A prospective injury database in the 1st Bundesliga was created encompassing 7 seasons (2014/15–2020/21). Cox proportional hazard model analyzed whether a concussive injury increased the risk of a subsequent injury in the first year after the index injury. 6,651 injuries were reported (n=182 concussive injuries). The incidence rate was 0.15 (95% CI 0.13–0.17) per 1000 football hours. A concussive injury was associated with only a slightly numerical higher risk of 7% (HR=1.07, 95% CI 0.78–1.47) in the subsequent year after the injury compared to a randomly selected non-concussive injury, but the effect was not significant. The risk was higher after 6–12 months post-SRC reaching 70% (HR=1.70, 95% CI 1.15–2.52). For 0–3 months (HR=0.76, 95% CI 0.48–1.20) and 3–6 months (HR=0.97, 95% CI 0.62–1.50) the injury risk was lower. The present data do not confirm previously published investigations about an increased injury risk after SRC. Contrasting effects of lower hazard ratios were found early after SRC, followed by an increase after 6–12 months. Further research should look into compliance rates with regards to return-to-competition protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Major sporting events are postulated to reduce suicide rates by increased social connectedness, by identifying with winning teams, or, conversely, to increase suicide rates by the 'broken promise effect'. Methods In our observational epidemiological study, we investigated changes in suicide rates between 1970 and 2017 in Austria, Germany and Switzerland during the European and World Soccer Championships in general, and on days that the home team played, won or lost. Results Combining all three studied nations no statistically significant change in the incidence of daily suicides during soccer championships compared to a control period was noted (38.29 ± 9.02 vs. 37.33 ± 10.58; incidence risk ratio = 1.03; 95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.05, P  =   0.05). Essentially, no differences in the expected directions were found, and none remained statistically significant after correcting for multiple comparisons in subgroups for country, age and gender in all three studied countries. Compared to a control period, neither a significant difference in the respective national suicide rate was found after Germany's four championship victories nor after Austria's emotional only win over Germany. Conclusion Our results do not support the assumption of increased social connectedness and, thus, lowered suicide risk during major sporting events or changes in suicide risk depending on the outcome of important games as predicted by the broken promise effect or changes in self-efficacy by identification with winning teams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Mental health is often considered a liability in the pursuit of achievement and efforts to express concern may conflict with social norms in high-performance sport. For instance, compassionate behaviours to others and oneself are stigmatized as having a weak mindset. However, youth athletes could embrace compassionate behaviours as a protective factor to overcome inevitable encounters of sport-related setbacks, emotional difficulties, and failures. Therefore, we aimed to examine levels of compassion and self-compassion in a sample of adolescent soccer players. Further inferences are made by comparing the athletes' data against the questionnaire's normative values. Methods and Results: First, the Compassion Motivation and Action Scales (CMAS) questionnaire was translated from English to German, demonstrating good to excellent reliability (0.79–0.93α) with an independent group of university students (n = 24, age = 21 ± 2.2). Second, an entire academy (U12-U23; n = 150) representing Germany's first soccer division completed the CMAS. The results indicated that compassion (p = 0.157) and self-compassion (p = 0.890) remained largely unchanged across all age groups, and adult athletes had lower observable levels of compassion and self-compassion when referenced back to the normative data. Discussion: In general, levels of self-reported compassion and self-compassion motivation and action were similar across all age groups within the academy. The lack of discrepancy between age groups across the academy teams combined with relatively low reported values on the CMAS compared to the normative CMAS data are indications of the strong social norms of professional sport being incongruent with compassionate behaviours, apparent even in the youngest academy age groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study describes the implementation of a standardised, prospective injury database covering the entire 1st male German football league ("Bundesliga") based on publicly available media data. For the first time, various media sources were used simultaneously as the external validity of media-generated data was low in the past compared to data obtained by way of the "gold standard", i.e. by the teams' medical staffs. Methods: The study covers 7 consecutive seasons (2014/15–2020/21). The primary data source was the online version of the sport-specific journal "kicker Sportmagazin™" complemented by further publicly available media data. Injury data collection followed the Fuller consensus statement on football injury studies. Results: During the 7 seasons, 6653 injuries occurred, thereof 3821 in training and 2832 in matches. The injury incidence rates (IRs) per 1000 football hours were 5.5 [95% CI 5.3–5.6], 25.9 [25.0–26.9] per 1000 match, and 3.4 [3.3–3.6] per 1000 training hours. Twenty-four per cent of the injuries (n = 1569, IR 1.3 [1.2–1.4]) affected the thigh, 15% (n = 1023, IR 0.8 [0.8–0.9]) the knee, and 13% (n = 856, IR 0.7 [0.7–0.8]) the ankle. Muscle/tendon injuries contributed 49% (n = 3288, IR 2.7 [2.6–2.8]), joint/ligament injuries 17% (n = 1152, IR 0.9 [0.9–1.0]), and contusions 13% (n = 855, IR 0.7 [0.7–0.8]). Compared to studies using injury reports from the clubs' medical staff, media data revealed similar proportional distributions of the injuries, but the IRs tended towards the lower end. Obtaining specific locations or diagnosis especially with regard to minor injuries is difficult. Conclusions: Media data are convenient for investigating the quantity of injuries of an entire league, for identifying injuries for further subanalysis, and for analysing complex injuries. Future studies will focus on the identification of inter- and intraseasonal trends, players' individual injury histories, and risk factors for subsequent injuries. Furthermore, these data will be used in a complex system approach for developing a clinical decision support system, e.g. for return to play decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The global SARS-CoV-2 pandemic led to a lockdown in team sports in March 2020. Because the risk of virus transmission seems to correlate with the duration of close contacts, data on contact times are necessary to assess the risk of virus transmission in sports. In this study, an optical tracking system was used to determine contact times between players of the two highest men's professional football leagues in Germany in the 2019–20 season and in the first half of the 2020–21 season. Contacts between players were defined as being within a two-metre radius during matches and were differentiated as either match-specific or non-match-specific. In total, 918 matches with 197,087 contacts were analysed. The mean overall contact time of one-to-one situations of 36 s (SD: ± 66) before the lockdown was reduced to 30 s after the lockdown (SD: ± 60) (p < 0.0001). In professional football, contacts between two players infrequently occur within a two-metre radius, averaging less than 35 s. Only 36 player pair contacts lasted for more than 15 min (0.00018%). The mean accumulated contact time per player with all others was 10.6 ± 6.9 min per match, with a decrease from 11.6 ± 7.0 min before the lockdown to 10.0 ± 6.6 min (p < 0.0001) after lockdown in the season 2019-20. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has resulted in a reduction in match-specific contacts of 25%. It seems questionable if such short contacts in open-air sports may lead to considerable virus transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Racist stacking is a phenomenon in team sports in which Black players are underrepresented in tactical and leading positions, while they are overrepresented in decentralized and physical positions. In this article, we propose that racist stacking is a type of institutional racism characterized by racist ascriptions incorporated in the daily routines of sport institutions. We explored whether racist stacking happens in soccer in Germany based on these assumptions. The results of an examination of the 36 teams in the male divisions of the first and second Bundesliga in the 2020/2021 season are presented in this article. We discovered patterns in our data that support a theory of racist stacking. White players are more likely to play positions associated with leadership, oversight, responsibility, intelligence, and organization, whereas Black players are more likely to play positions associated with aggressiveness, speed, and instinct. We conclude that, contrary to popular belief, professional sports do not just rely on the competitiveness principle. Instead, some decisions appear to be made on the basis of racist attributions, whether purposefully or accidentally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of FuG: Zeitschrift für Fußball & Gesellschaft is the property of Verlag Barbara Budrich GmbH and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

If a sports competition is broadcasted live, consumers may opt for substituting gate attendance with watching that game live on TV (or online). This might be worrisome for teams, particularly those in lower divisions, whose game day revenues typically exceed broadcasting revenues. So far, however, the literature testing this claim empirically is inconclusive. We examine whether (at least parts of) this confusion might be traced back to shortcomings in the econometric modelling process. We use attendance data for 1,138 games in German third division football from the 2015/16 to 2017/18 seasons and compare results for our demand equations between ordinary least squares (OLS) and endogenous treatment regressions (ETR). ETRs explicitly account for any selection bias, that is, the broadcasters' preference to select the most attractive games for live broadcasting (which are expected to also attract comparably larger gate attendances). While OLS models reveal a significant positive impact of live broadcasts on gate attendance, this effect reverses when estimating ETRs. Even though there is suggestive evidence for postponing ticket demand to some extent to later games, the overall negative effect remains robust and large. Our findings highlight the relevance of controlling for the selection bias when analysing the impact of live broadcasting on stadium attendance. From a managerial point of view, our findings suggest that increasing the number of games broadcasted live in German third division football might not be advisable, since additional broadcasting revenues may not exceed predicted losses in ticket revenues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has decelerated substantial parts of economic and human interaction. This paper estimates football matches' contribution to the spread of COVID-19 during Germany's second infection wave in summer and autumn 2020. Exploiting the exogenous fixture schedules of matches across German counties in an event study design, we estimate that one additional match in a county on average raises daily cases by between 0.34 to 0.71 cases per 100,000 inhabitants after three weeks. Hence, this implies an increase of the seven-day incidence per 100,000 inhabitants by around three to seven percent. We do not find qualitatively different results for a subsample of German top league matches with the strictest hygiene regulations or matches with higher occupancy levels. Notably, the found effect is mediated by the incidence level at the day of the match with very few infections for matches at a seven-day incidence below 25. Using mobile phone data, we identify strong increases in the local mobility as an underlying mechanism. We finally show that the ban of away fans successfully limited the spread of COVID-19 beyond county borders. Our results alert that even outdoor mass gatherings can remarkably cause infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Empirical studies show that first- and second-generation immigrants are less likely to be members of sports clubs than their non-immigrant peers. Common explanations are cultural differences and socioeconomic disadvantages. However, lower participation rates in amateur sport could be at least partly due to ethnic discrimination. Are minority ethnic groups granted the same right to belong as their non-immigrant peers? To answer this question, this paper uses publicly available data from a field experiment in which mock applications were sent out to over 1,600 football clubs in Germany. Having a foreign-sounding name significantly reduces the likelihood of being invited to participate. The paper concludes that amateur football clubs are not as permeable as they are often perceived to be. It claims that traditional explanations for lower participation rates of immigrants need to be revisited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To investigate potential effects of heading on the neurocognitive performance and the white matter (WM) of the brain in high-level adult male football players., Design: Prospective longitudinal., Methods: Football players engaging in the highest football leagues in Germany were included. Neurocognitive performance tests and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) were executed before and after the observation period. Video recordings of each training session and each match play during the observation period were analyzed regarding heading exposure and characteristics. Four DTI measures from tract-based spatial statistics (fractional anisotropy, mean, axial, and radial diffusivity) were investigated. Associations between heading variables and DTI and neurocognitive parameters were tested subsequently., Results: 8052 headers of 22 players (19.9 ± 2.7 years) were documented in a median of 16.9 months. The individual total heading number ranged from 57 to 943 (median: 320.5). Header characteristics differed between training sessions and matches. Neurocognitive performance (n = 22) and DTI measures (n = 14) showed no significant differences from pre- to post-test. After correction for multiple comparisons, no significant correlations with the total heading number were found. However, the change in fractional anisotropy in the splenium of the corpus callosum correlated significantly with the total amount of long-distance headers (Pearson's r = -0.884; p < 0.0001)., Conclusions: Over the median observation period of 16.9 months, DTI measures and neurocognitive performance remained unchanged. To elucidate the meaning of the association between individual change in fractional anisotropy and long-distance headers further investigations with larger samples, longer observations, and various cohorts regarding age and level of play are required., Competing Interests: Declaration of interest statement CR receives scientific funding for projects on traumatic brain injuries and heading from the Federal Institute of Sports Sciences (Germany) and the Heinz Nixdorf Westfalian Foundation. He is a member of the medical committee of the German Football association (DFB) and provides counseling on the management of traumatic brain injury to the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). All other authors declare no conflicting interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow Score (KJOC) originally developed in English, assesses the functional status of the shoulder and elbow in overhead athletes. To date, no German version of the questionnaire exists. The aim of the study was to translate and to culturally adapt the KJOC into German (KJOC-G) and to test its psychometric properties. The first part of the study consisted of a translation and cross-cultural adaptation process which was performed in six stages according to international recommendations: Initial translations, synthesis, back translations, expert committee review, pretesting of the prefinal version, and final adaptations. Secondly, reliability, validity, and feasibility of the KJOC-G were assessed in German overhead athletes. The translation and adaptation process led to minor alterations due to cultural differences while maintaining the general structure and content of the original score. A total of 152 overhead athletes (age 25.0 ± 6.6 years; 87 men/65 women) were included in the main analyses. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.93) and test–retest reliability (ICC2.1 = 0.94) of the overall questionnaire were excellent. Moderate correlations with the German version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) questionnaire (r = −0.51, p <.05) as well as the DASH-sports module (r = −0.54, p <.05) suggest moderate construct validity. Known-group method analysis showed the ability of the KJOC-G to discriminate between actively playing symptomatic (score: 71.2 ± 16.0) and asymptomatic (score: 93.1 ± 8.7) athletes. The KJOC-G score is valid, reliable, and suitable for assessing the functional shoulder and elbow status in German-speaking overhead athletes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Keiner, M, Kadlubowski, B, Sander, A, Hartmann, H, and Wirth, K. Effects of 10 months of speed, functional, and traditional strength training on strength, linear sprint, change of direction, and jump performance in trained adolescent soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 36(8): 2236–2246, 2022—The current study aimed to compare the effects of plyometric and sprint vs. functional vs. strength training on linear sprint (LS 20 m), change of direction (COD; i.e., turning right and left), jump (squat jump [SJ]), and maximum strength (1 repetition maximum [1RM] for a squat) performance in elite adolescent soccer players. A longitudinal design was chosen, and 48 elite male youth were recruited. The athletes were divided into 4 groups (a traditional strength training group [STG], a plyometric and sprint training group [PSTG], a functional training group [FTG], and a control group [CG]). The intervention groups trained for 10 months with additional sessions added to their regular soccer training (4–5 sessions per week); the additional training (2 sessions a week [each about 60 minutes]) consisted of plyometric and sprint training, functional training, and traditional strength training for the PSTG, FTG, and STG, respectively. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance with repeated measurements. The effect sizes were calculated using Hedges g. This study showed significantly superior performance increases with traditional strength training compared with sprint and jump training and functional training for maximum strength (compared with all other groups g = 0.98–1.61), SJ (g = 0.52–0.87 compared with FGT and CG; not significantly different from PSTG), COD (direction of rotation right: compared with all other groups g = 1.58–2.12; direction of rotation left: no significant differences), and 20-m LS (compared with all other groups g = 0.86–1.39) performance over time. Traditional strength training is recommended to increase strength and speed-strength variables and should therefore be given high priority in athletic training programs for elite youth soccer players. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to investigate the impact of the return of different European leagues and their divisions after the break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, without the crowd support, on home advantage (HA). Data from the first and second divisions of the 2016/2017, 2017/2018, 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons of the German, Spanish, English and Italian leagues were analysed to obtain overall HA. As 2019/2020 season was interrupted due COVID-19 pandemic, we also calculated the home advantage in a fractional way: phases 1 and 2 played before and after the break, respectively. HA in first division of the German (F3,51 = 4.86, P =.01, η p 2 = 0.22, large) and Italian (F3,57 = 4.50, P =.01, η p 2 = 0.19, large) leagues were lower in 2019/2020 season compared with other seasons. Furthermore, HA decreased in phase 2 in four of the seven leagues and divisions analysed, with no advantage in first and second divisions Germany (45.1 ± 21.3%) and Italy (49.8 ± 18.5%), respectively. A positive correlation (0.82 ± 0.10; P <.01) and significant relationship (R2: 0.69 ± 0.16; SEE: 4.36 ± 0.76; P <.01) were found between HA and team quality for all analysed leagues and divisions during the 2019/2020 season. The findings of the present study reveal that HA was affected in the 2019/2020 season, especially after the break due to the COVID-19 pandemic without crowd support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers' evaluations of their favorite sport team's contests are influenced by the value that the team provides to them. The current research contributes to the sport management literature through conceptualizing and measuring the dimensions that influence the perceived value consumers link with their favorite sport team's games and testing the explanatory ability of this perceived value on their satisfaction with, and commitment toward, the team. Five semistructured expert interviews were conducted to conceptualize perceived value dimensions and measurement items. Next, a multidimensional Consumers' Perceived Value of Sport Games scale (CPVSG) was developed and tested across two studies with football (soccer) consumers (N1 = 225; N2 = 382) in Germany. Results from confirmatory factor and structural equation modeling analyses indicate that five dimensions--functional, social, emotional, epistemic, and economic value--reflect perceived value dimensions that consumers associate with sport team games. Results also indicated these perceived value dimensions were predictive of consumers' satisfaction with, and commitment toward, their favorite team. Thus, this research adds to the literature by providing the multidimensional CPVSG scale and demonstrating its value in explaining variance in attitudinal outcome variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Many professional football players sustain at least one severe injury over the course of their career. Because detailed epidemiological data on different severe injuries in professional football have been missing so far, this study describes the frequency and return-to-competition (RTC) periods of different types of severe football injuries. Material and methods: This epidemiological investigation is a prospective standardised injury analysis based on national media longitudinal registration. Injuries were classified according to the consensus statement by Fuller et al. (2006). The analysis includes injuries sustained by players of the first German football league during the seasons 2014–2015 to 2017–2018. Level of evidence: II. Results: Overall, 660 severe injuries were registered during the four seasons (mean 165 per season; 9.2 per season per team; incidence in 1000 h: 0.77). The body region most frequently affected by severe injury was the knee (30.0%; 49.5 injuries per season/SD 13.2) followed by the thigh (26.4%; 43.5 injuries/SD 4.2) and the ankle (16.7%; 27.5 injuries/SD 5.0). The distribution of injuries over the course of a season showed a trend for ACL ruptures to mainly occur at the beginning of a season (45.8%), overuse syndromes such as achillodynia (40.9%) and irritation of the knee (44.4%) during the winter months and severe muscle and ankle injuries at the end of a season. ACL ruptures showed the longest RTC durations (median 222 days). Conclusion: This study presents detailed epidemiological data on severe injuries in professional football. The body region most frequently affected by severe injuries was the knee. Several types of severe injuries showed a seasonal injury pattern. The appropriate timing of RTC after an injury is one of the most important and complex decisions to be made. This study provides information on the typical time loss due to specific severe football injuries, which may serve as a guideline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Calcaneal apophysitis, or Sever's disease, is the most common cause of heel pain in childhood and adolescence. It is regarded as an overuse syndrome. Studies on the incidence of calcaneal apophysitis in young athletes and their associated return-to-play time are lacking in the current literature. The aim of our current study was to identify the incidence of calcaneal apophysitis in professional youth soccer, the associated time to return-to-play, predisposing factors and their impact on time to return-to-play. Methods: Retrospective evaluation of injury data gathered from a German youth soccer academy in the years 2009–2018. In total, 4326 injury cases in 612 players were included in the study. The diagnosis and the follow-up visits were carried out in a weekly consultation hour at the youth academy. Results: During the observation period of 10 years, 22 cases of calcaneal apophysitis were detected. The incidence of calcaneal apophysitis per 100 athletes per year was found to be 0.36. The mean age of the affected athletes at the time of diagnosis was 11.8 ± 2.1 years (MW ± SD). The complaints were unilateral in 20 and bilateral in two cases. Three of the 22 detected cases of calcaneal apophysitis (13.6%) were recurrent injuries. The mean time to return-to-play of the affected athletes was 60.7 ± 64.9 days (MW ± SD). Athletes with recurrent complaints showed longer recovery time and time to return-to-play when compared to players with primary diagnosed disease. Our results could show that neither age nor body mass index at the time of diagnosis had an impact on time to return-to-play. Conclusions: This is the first study investigating the incidence of calcaneal apophysitis and the associated time to return-to-play in youth elite soccer. Calcaneal apophysitis results in substantial time loss for the athletes. Further prospective clinical studies are required to fully understand the etiology and risk factors for calcaneal apophysitis and therefore develop preventive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Football is the most popular sport worldwide and results in a high frequency of injuries. So far, mainly injuries in professional football have been investigated, and the literature lacks data regarding detailed injury epidemiology and current prevention data in amateur football tournaments. Materials and methods: A prospective cohort study investigated an international amateur football tournament, the UEFA Regions' Cup, which took place in 2019 in Germany. Injury epidemiology, current prevention strategies of the teams and the implementation of the UEFA concussion protocol were investigated in detail by means of standardized injury definitions and data samples for football (Fuller et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 16:83–92, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0838.2006.00528.x, 2006). Results: 138 player of 8 teams participated in this study, while 39 players were excluded. Overall injury incidence was 12.5 per 1000 h total football exposure, 43.5 per 1000 h for match exposure. No injuries were registered during training. Injury prevalence was 14.1% per player and 1.1 injuries per match were registered. The lower extremity was predominantly affected by injuries (71.4%) and the majority of injuries (78.6%) were non-severe injury types like contusions (50%) and sprains (18.2%). Two head injuries, one contusion and one skin lesion, were handled by the guidelines of the UEFA concussion protocol. 44.4% of the players indicated at least one previous injury before tournament, 45.3% of them during the last two football seasons before start of the tournament. Injury prevention performance was included in all participating teams during the tournament by warm up or training strategies (100%). During the warm-up program just 5 exercises of the FIFA 11 + program was detected by this investigation in participating teams to be done by more half of the teams. Running exercises were the most frequently performed exercises, while trunk muscle exercises were less represented (14.3%). Conclusion: This study presents for the first time epidemiological injury and prevention data of the UEFA Regions Cup. Injury incidence was higher compared to injury reports of regular seasons, but lower compared to other amateur football tournaments. Currently used prevention programs revealed trunk muscle exercises as often neglected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies that report injuries in elite youth football players are scarce. So far, no such studies have been reported in Germany. The aim of this study is to descriptively and statistically report the incidence of injuries that resulted in time-loss ≥ 4 days in the TSG Hoffenheim football academy by 138 male players aged between 12 and 19 years during one season. A total of 109 injuries were sustained by 76 players: 6.9 injuries occurred per 1000 hours of matches (95% CI, 5.0–9.6) and 0.7 injuries per 1000 hours of training (95% CI, 0.5–0.9) with a ratio of 9.8. Some 66% of all injuries occurred during matches. Injuries involved the lower limb (81%), upper limb (9%), head & neck (5%) and trunk injuries (5%). 21 (19%) of all injuries were regarded as severe and resulted in time-loss > 28 days. U16–U19 teams sustained more injuries (74, 68%) than U12–U15 (35, 32%) (P= 0.032). The most frequent diagnosis was thigh strain (22%). Time-loss ranged from 4–339 days (SD: 40, Average: 23). Many injuries were a result of strain. Available injury prevention programs should be adhered to more strictly. Dedicated epidemiological studies are needed to optimize focused injury prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The impact of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) on the performance and career of professional soccer players has not been extensively investigated. Purpose: To evaluate in professional European soccer players (1) the ACL injury incidence, (2) the return-to-play (RTP) rate and time after ACLR, (3) career survival and athlete performance in the first 3 postoperative seasons after RTP, (4) factors likely related to different outcomes after ACLR, and (5) any related differences between the top 8 European soccer leagues. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Included were professional soccer players in the top 8 European Soccer leagues (Serie A [Italy], Premier League [England], Ligue 1 [France], LaLiga [Spain], Bundesliga [Germany], Jupiler Pro League [Belgium], Liga NOS [Portugal], and Premier Liga [Russia]) who sustained an ACL injury during seasons 2014 to 2015, 2015 to 2016, and 2016 to 2017. Data were retrieved from publicly available online sources. Outcomes were evaluated based on player age (<25 years, 25-30 years, and >30 years), position (goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward), affected side (dominant vs nondominant), and league. Results: Overall, 195 players sustained an ACL injury, for a mean annual ACL injury incidence of 1.42%. The RTP rate was 95%, with a mean RTP time of 248 ± 136 days. Within the third postoperative season, 66 players (36%) competed in a lower level national league, and 25 (13.6%) ended their careers; a significant reduction in the mean minutes played per season was found in all 3 postoperative seasons. Player age correlated significantly with reduction in performance or recovery from an ACL injury. No significant correlation was found between postoperative player performance and affected side, position, league, or time to RTP. Conclusion: A substantial ACL injury incidence was found in top European elite soccer players; however, a high RTP rate in a reasonable time was seen after ACLR. Nevertheless, professional soccer players experienced a short-term decline in their performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the influence of corona-specific training and playing conditions - especially empty stadiums - on match performance, contact behavior, and home advantage in the Bundesliga (BL) and Bundesliga 2 (BL2). We analyzed the 2017/18, 2018/19, and 2019/20 seasons and compared matches in rounds 26–34 before shutdown with "ghost" matches after restart. Results show increased running activity for high intensity distance: (+ 6.1%) and total distance covered (+ 4.3%). In BL2 in particular there were also changes in tactical aspects of the game (time in last third: –6.3%, pressure on pass receiver: –8.6%, success of attacking duels: –7.9%, share of long passes completed: + 15.6%, outplayed opponents per pass: –14.7%). Contact time to other players (< 2 m distance) was 15:35 mins per match. After restart, contact was reduced, especially when the ball was not in the last third (–11.2%). Away wins increased by +44.2% in BL and the home-away difference in yellow cards changed in favor of the away team (+31.2%) in BL2. We conclude that empty stadiums have reduced home advantage and decreased referee bias when awarding yellow cards. Player behavior might have been affected by tactical demands and/or conscious or unconscious self-protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Vierteljahrshefte für Zeitgeschichte is the property of De Gruyter and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: Injuries exert a detrimental impact on the team performance in professional football. Shoulder dislocations are known for their severity and often cause substantial lay-off times. However, there is a notable gap in the general understanding regarding the frequency and convalescence of these events in professional football. Thus, the aims of this study were (1) to determine the incidence, (2) to evaluate return to competition (RTC) and redislocation events (RDEs) and (3) to identify relevant player-, match- and injury-related parameters., Methods: All shoulder dislocations within the highest three German football leagues (1.-3. Bundesliga) during the seasons 2012/2013 until 2022/2023 were identified. Player-, injury- and match-related data were obtained by performing a media analysis. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. p Value was set at 0.05., Results: A total of 90 first-time shoulder dislocations in 89 players with a median age of 25 years (interquartile range [IQR]: 23-28) were available for analysis. The incidence was 9.1 per 1000 Bundesliga matches played and increased over time. Forty-four (49%) shoulder dislocations were treated conservatively and 46 (51%) operatively. Median RTC was 24 days (IQR: 12-43) following conservative and 103 days (IQR: 85-135) following surgical treatment (p < 0.001). Twenty-two (24%) players suffered a redislocation, of whom 13 (59%) underwent initial conservative and nine (41%) initial surgical treatment (not significant [n.s.]). RDE following conservative treatment was after a median of 4 months (IQR: 2-22) and 7 months (IQR: 3-23) following surgical treatment (n.s.)., Conclusion: The incidence of shoulder dislocation within professional football is increasing and currently amounts to 9.1 per 1000 matches played. A conservative treatment leads to a quicker RTC, while frequency and time to RDE were similar regardless of treatment. The increasing incidence of shoulder dislocations in professional football necessitates an analysis of relevant injury mechanisms and the implementation of specific preventive measures., Level of Evidence: Level III., (© 2024 The Authors. Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Sports Traumatology, Knee Surgery and Arthroscopy.)

For performance and injury prevention in sport, core strength and endurance are focused prerequisites. Therefore we evaluated characteristics of trunk muscle activation and performance during strength-endurance related trunk field tests. Strength-endurance ability, as total time to failure, and activation of trunk muscles was measured in 39 football players of the highest German female football league (Bundesliga) (N = 18, age: 20.7 y [SD 4.4]) and the highest national male under-19 league (N = 21, age: 17.9 y [0.7]) in prone plank, side plank, and dorsal position. Maximal isometric force was assessed during trunk extension and flexion, rotation, and lateral flexion to normalize EMG and to compare with the results of strength-endurance tests. For all positions of endurance strength tests, a continuous increase in normalized EMG activation was observed (P < .001). Muscle activation of the rectus abdominis and external oblique in prone plank position exceeded the maximal voluntary isometric contraction activation, with a significantly higher activation in females (P = .02). We conclude, that in the applied strength-endurance testing, the activation of trunk muscles was high, especially in females. As high trunk muscle activation can infer fatigue, limb strength can limit performance in prone and side plank position, particularly during high trunk muscle activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]