Ethics of testing genetics and sports

[Neworld]

I am not sure if the 'Clinic' is appropriate but since this topic deals with testing and sports I thought it might fit here. Moderators please sort if needed.

It is an interesting 2 part read.

http://www.cmaj.ca/content/184/1/E45.full

NW

 

[Catwhoorg]

http://www.sportsscientists.com/2011/08/training-talent-10000-hours-and-genes.html

I'll take one quote out of that long article

This is also why those genetic tests that supposedly tell eager parents whether little Tim is going to be a sprinter or a distance runner are so over-rated. These tests screen for several genes, including perhaps the most "famous" performance gene ACTN3, which is supposedly linked to elite sprinting performance.

The problem is, the studies comparing Jamaican sprinters and east African distance runners find no differences for that particular gene. I hope I've shown you why this may be the case. In the words of Prof Stephen Roth, one of the world's leading experts on genes and performance "It looks like the gene does contribute something, but only a very small amount at the very, very elite levels". "Several genes" will sadly explain very little, except in rare cases. And performance is not one of them.


The labs doing the testing are basically a money making scam.

I would recommend reading the whole article though.