The upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games could face environmental challenges related to heat, air quality and water quality. These challenges will pose potential threats to athletes and impact thousands of stakeholders and millions of spectators. Recognising the multifaceted nature of these challenges, a range of strategies will be essential for mitigating adverse effects on participants, stakeholders and spectators alike. From personalised interventions for athletes and attendees to comprehensive measures implemented by organisers, a holistic approach is crucial to address these c ..read more

Objectives The relationship between sport-related injuries and Para athlete impairment type has not yet been comprehensively studied. This study aimed to describe injury incidence according to athlete impairment type during the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Summer Paralympic Games, by sex, age, Games period, chronicity and anatomical area. Methods A combined analysis of 7222 athletes was conducted comprising 101 108 athlete days, using pooled data. Internet sources were used to identify impairments of registered athletes. Impairment types: brain disorders (BD), limb deficiency, neuromuscular disord ..read more

Several International Federations (IFs) employ specific policies to protect athletes’ health from the danger of heat. Most policies rely on the measurement of thermal indices such as the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) to estimate the risk of heat-related illness. This review summarises the policies implemented by the 32 IFs of the 45 sports included in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. It provides details into the venue type, measured parameters, used thermal indices, measurement procedures, mitigation strategies and specifies whether the policy is a recommendation or a requirement. Additionall ..read more

Objective To describe the epidemiology of injuries and illnesses sustained during the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games, organised in a closed-loop environment to adhere with COVID-19 restrictions. Methods Injuries and illnesses from all teams were recorded on a daily basis by team medical staff on a web-based form and by local organising committee medical (polyclinic) facilities and venue medical support. Duplicates recorded on both systems were removed. Incidence of injuries and illnesses are reported per 1000 athlete days (95% CI). Results 564 athletes (426 male and 138 female) represent ..read more

Objective A periodic health evaluation (PHE) is a comprehensive and multidisciplinary investigation of athlete health widely used in elite sport, but its contents and benefits can be questioned. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of conditions identified by a PHE among Paralympic and Olympic athletes over four consecutive Games cycles from Rio de Janeiro 2016 to Beijing 2022 and to assess the benefits and potential pitfalls of a comprehensive PHE programme in detecting existing injuries, illnesses and other health issues. Methods We collected extensive health history and clinical exa ..read more

Objectives To evaluate and compare the injuries of Olympic wrestlers during the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games held in August 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods In this descriptive epidemiological study, injury report forms were used to collect and analyse injury data during the competitions. Results During 410 matches in the Rio Olympic Games, 21 injuries were recorded among 346 wrestlers (112=women), a rate of 5.1 injuries/100 bouts and 6.1 injuries/100 athletes. During 322 matches in the Tokyo Olympic Games, 28 injuries were recorded among 287 wrestlers (96=women), with 8.7 i ..read more

The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, sparked by Russia’s unprovoked invasion in February 2022, has not only wrought devastation on the nation’s infrastructure and population but has also cast a long shadow over its Olympic sports community. As Ukraine grapples with the harrowing realities of war, its athletes and sports professionals face unparalleled challenges, with their dreams and aspirations hanging in the balance. In addition, this conflict has left its mark on the nation’s sports landscape, with significant damage inflicted on infrastructure, athletes displaced, and training schedules disru ..read more

When the senior author (LE) started as Head of Scientific Activities of the Medical and Scientific Department in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in October 2007, the Mission statement of this new IOC development was to: Develop the IOC’s medical and scientific activities to position the IOC as the primary reference in sports medicine and sports science. Increase the positioning of the IOC on the protection of athletes’ health by developing research and education in sports medicine. Act as the interface between the scientific community on the one hand (universities, research institute ..read more

Globally, mass gathering events are always a challenge for the host city because of the threats of man-made or natural disasters, which include the outbreaks of infectious diseases.1 The Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOPG 2020) became an unusual historic event due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced its postponement for 1 year. It was held later in 2021 summer amidst a declaration of a state of emergency,2 3 where the serious shortfall of medical human resources of various specialties adversely affected the medical preparedness and response for the event. In connection with the O ..read more

What did I do? The aims of this thesis were split into three sections, each containing two studies (figure 1). Section one aimed to describe injury epidemiology within a professional ballet company and systematically review jumping biomechanics in ballet dancers. Section two aimed to establish the reliability of lower extremity isometric force tests, and ankle mechanics and vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) during jump landings in professional ballet dancers. Section three aimed to investigate the determinants of ankle mechanics and vGRFs during jump landings in professional ballet dancer ..read more