SPORTS SCIENCE TAKING THE STAND

FEATURES/CHRIS MORTLEY

erhaps the title of this article could have read Sports Science in the dock - the dock is an old legal word for the Courtroom stand or bar where testimony is made. So sports science in the dock might mean under scrutiny and making a case. The point is that, though sports science has risen as a profession and at a pace over this last decade, its rapid emergence has lead to inevitable confusion as to what exactly is sports science. As Janines abstract article in the last edition highlighted, sports science, like it or not, still has some work to do in dening itself, its role and contribution to the world of sport. The blurred edges that embrace sports science mean the potential to step on other colleagues toes is huge and has already resulted in friction in many a club. And the fact that the discipline wears so many hats also causes confusion. Are they nutritionists, sports psychologists, S & C coaches, rehabilitators, lab technicians, analysts, or all of them? Who really knows what a sports scientist is? Its a fair question. When a profession such as sports science emerges and grabs the attention at clubs (ref Sam Allardyce and his team of backroom staff 10 years ago), everyone it seems, jumps on the bandwagon and does the same. But where the emergence is sudden and dramatic theres always the chance of a backlash and a sudden re-assessment that says, wait a minute, do we really need them after all? This appears to have happened at several

clubs of late so it`s a dening moment for the profession. There`s no point pretending everything is all right and trying not to rock the boat only to nd that it is too late. So dening the scope of practice for sports scientists is critical to their standing as a discipline. No blurred edges, not too many hats, but a clear and precise denition of their role and practice is needed in order to cement their position. It`s an onerous task but one that the profession has to grapple with if it is to ourish. Another area where there are concerns for sports scientists is the lack of a mandatory representative body for the profession. The British Association of Sport and Exercise Scientists, (BASES), is an exceptionally well run group with international credibility for promoting sports sciences as a profession. Yet there are a huge number of sports scientists out there working in professional football, rugby and elite sport who are not members of BASES and dont wish to be since it is largely an academic institution. This means they are currently practicing without any support network behind them and with no indemnity cover or protection. Given that tness training and rehabilitation is within their remit (two of their hats) the risk for injury with a player is very high. It goes without saying then, that the potential for litigation is proportionally higher than say for the doctors or physiotherapists. If this should happen and a sports scientist nds his/herself in the dock, how can

that individual demonstrate professional responsibility, show they have taken steps to address professional accountability and integrity or demonstrate personal endeavour to self-regulate along with evidence of CPD? Unless they align to an association of some kind, they probably cant. In the dock will be a scary place. So what is the answer? Well until the profession develops a mandatory regulatory body it will lack any sense of cohesion and a common thread. Such a body may well materialise in time but, until then, LMedA can play a pivotal role for sports scientists in professional football. LMedA CEO, Eamonn Salmon, says, sports scientists are a signicant part of our organisation and are held in equal regard with all disciplines and practitioners within the game. That the game is richer for their presence and that their contribution can only improve the tness and wellbeing of players and clubs is, to me, unquestionable. We would like to encourage all sports scientists to join LMedA as it will instantly address some of their needs and ensure they keep parity with their colleagues who have recognised the value of professional body representation. As articles in this edition demonstrate, football is a precarious world and one in which we each have to take the necessary steps to look after ourselves and take responsibility for our own actions.

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