The frequency of, and attitudes towards, genetic testing amongst athletes and support staff

Pickering, Craig and Kiely, John orcid iconORCID: 0000-0001-9817-0224 (2020) The frequency of, and attitudes towards, genetic testing amongst athletes and support staff. Performance Enhancement and Health . ISSN 2211-2669

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peh.2020.100184

Abstract

Recently, knowledge of the genetic influence on the attainment of elite athlete status, along with aspects such as training adaptations and injury risk, has grown. At present, there are various direct-to-consumer genetic tests targeted at athletes. Here, we aimed to determine to prevalence of, and attitudes towards, genetic testing in a group of athletes, coaches, and support staff. 243 participants (110 athletes and 133 support staff) took part in an internet-based survey. 51 % of athletes had competed internationally, and 54 % of support staff reported that their main contact time was with international athletes. The frequency of genetic testing was relatively low, with 10 % of athletes and 11 % of support staff stating they had utilised such a test. Overall, the majority of athletes and support staff felt that genetics played a role in the attainment of sporting success and training adaptation. The main barriers to undertaking genetic testing were a lack of awareness, high cost, and a lack of scientific evidence. The majority (73 % of athletes and 64 % of support staff) of participants utilising genetic tests found the information useful.


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