The recent spate of incidents and reports of doping, match-fixing and wall-to-wall TV coverage of betting, alcohol and junk food advertisements has stimulated considerable debate about the impact of commercialized sport on Australian youth. Researchers have clearly mapped how the rise of Australian commercialized sport has coincided with growth in obesity and physical … [Read more...]
Sports that will save your life
So you thought that the odd game of touch footy on a Sunday morning was going to save your life, huh? Or maybe you play a bit of "B" Division netball, soccer or basketball once a week. That should keep the ol' grim reaper from the door, you surmised. Think again. The latest research has found that while its true that the amount, duration and intensity of sporting … [Read more...]
Football’s fight against homophobia – has it reached a “tipping point?”
How is football's fight against homophobia progressing? The following article from British academics Daniel Lock, Adi Adams and Emma Kavanaugh, attempts to paint a hopeful picture where changing attitudes are finally reaching a "tipping point" where gay athletes and spectators may no longer have to fear harassment and abuse from homophobic elements within the football (soccer) … [Read more...]
Football referees add on more extra time when famous teams are losing!
Football (soccer) enthusiasts suspected it, but now statistics is confirming it. After analysing all the matches of the Spanish league "La Liga" from the 2014-2015 season, two experts in sports science have found that the greater the difference on the scoreboard, the less stoppage time is added to the end of the game. When the score is tighter, however, football referees tend … [Read more...]
No time to get fit? Think again
Researchers at McMaster University have found that a single minute of very intense exercise produces health benefits similar to longer, traditional endurance training. The findings put to rest the common excuse for not getting in shape – that there is simply not enough time. “This is a very time-efficient workout strategy,” says Martin Gibala, a professor of kinesiology at … [Read more...]