Swimmers’ competitive performance is a result of complicated interactions between physiological, biochemical, physical and psychological factors, all of which are strongly affected by water. Recently, great attention has been paid to the role of genetic factors such as the catechol-O-methyltransferase gene (COMT) influencing motivation, emotions, stress tolerance, self-control, sleep regulation, pain processing and perception, addictive behaviour and neurodegeneration, which may underlie differences in achieving remarkable results in sports competition. Thus, this study was performed to investigate the association between the COMT Val158Met (rs4680) polymorphism and athletic performance in Caucasian swimmers. A total of 225 swimmers (171 short distance (SDS) and 54 long distance swimmers (LDS)) of national or international competitive standard and 379 unrelated sedentary controls were genotyped using real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). We found no significant differences in genotypic or allelic distributions between (1) male and female athletes; (2) SDS and LDS; (3) all athletes and sedentary controls (under codominant, dominant, recessive, and overdominant genetic models). No association was found between the COMT rs4680 polymorphism and elite swimming athlete status of the studied population. However, more replication studies are needed.

The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the MCT1 (monocarboxylate transporter 1) A1470T polymorphism and positional roles in a large cohort of professional football players from five different countries. We compared genotype distributions of the MCT1 A1470T polymorphism between football players (n=694) and non-athlete controls (n=781) from Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine and Malta, and we analyzed the MCT1 genotype distributions with respect to the players’ positions in the field (e. g. forwards, midfielders, defenders and goalkeepers). Genomic DNA was extracted from either buccal epithelium or peripheral blood using a standard protocol. In the pooled cohort of Italian, Polish, Lithuanian and Ukrainian football players, forwards (n=148) were more likely than controls (n=781) to possess the A allele (χ2=7.067, p=0.029, FDR q value 0.116), with a greater likelihood of having the AA genotype compared with the TT genotype (OR=1.97; C.I.=1.07-3.64; p=0.021, FDR q value 0.086). The MCT1 AA genotype was significantly more frequent in forwards then in controls. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings in other professional football player cohorts. ^* Carla Maria Calò and Pawel Cieszczyk are equally contributing authors.

The main purpose of this study is to assess the relations between training loads and selected blood parameters in professional soccer players during a preseason sports camp. Fifteen professional soccer players (age: 24.3 ± 5.25 year; height: 182.6 ± 6.75 cm; weight: 76.4 ± 6.72 kg) participated in the 12-day training camp. All the training sessions and friendly games were accurately analyzed with a GPS system. Blood samples were taken from the players and analyzed before the camp (PRE), in the middle (MID), and one day after the camp (POST). Mean total distance covered by the players during the camp was 85,205 ± 2685 m, high-intensity running 12,454 ± 1873 m, and sprinting 639 ± 219 m. The highest aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatine kinase (CK), and C-reactive protein (CRP) values were observed after six days of the camp. The application of intensive training during a 12-day sports camp can be associated with chronic muscle pain with high activity of some blood enzymes (CK, AST) and a high concentration of myoglobin (Mb). During training camps longer than 10 days, it would be necessary to apply, every second or third day, one day of rest, and the training load should not exceed two units every day.

Background. Football game analysis is a key resource used in the training process. Such knowledge is achievable thanks to modern and advanced technologies whose task is to analyze traffic. The aim of the study was to determine and compare the values of game effectiveness indicators achieved by teams with a high percentage of possession of the ball (HPBPT)and teams with a lower percentage of ball possession (LPBPT). Materials and Methods. The study used analyzes of the performance of teams in 64 matches played during the football world cup - Qatar 2022. The study used platform for match analysis OPTA Sportsdata. The study used 31 performance indicators, which were divided into four groups. STATISTICA 13 PL (TIBCO Software, PaloAlto, CA, USA) software in it a discriminant function and the t – Student test were used to conduct statistical analysis. Results. Higher values of all analyzed parameters of shots, passes and offensive actions were obtained by HPBPT. Defensive action indicators such as: interceptions, clearances and block a shot miały wyższe wykonanie wśród LPBPT. The greatest impact on the effectiveness of the game had: creating goal action, shot reliability, shot pass reliability, medium pass reliability, possession of the ball, passes attempted from, free kicks and through passes. Conclusions. The study showed the importance of higher ball possession percentages for HPBPT teams. The study brings a new perspective on ball possession as a complex phenomenon that requires systematic monitoring. Teams with high sports mastery are able to put pressure on opponents by keeping possession of the ball longer during the game building phase.

Background and Study Aim. The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of players of the Polish national football team and their opponents in one-on-one situations (1-on-1) in 9 matches of the group stage of the three subsequent finals of the European Championships in the years 2008, 2012 and 2016. Material and methods. Audiovisual recordings of matches were analysed and game data were collected using the authors' original observation sheet. Activity, effectiveness and reliability of individual offensive and defensive actions were evaluated in terms of current match result, time elapsed and player position on the pitch. Efficiency of one-on-one play situations of 40 Polish players competing in group stages of Euro 2008-2012 was studied. The 20 of Polish National Team players taking part in this study were at the student’s age (19-24 y) during championships and 6 of them were currently students or got a scientific degree. Results. The study reveals that, on average, players engage in 245 1-on-1 duels in a single match and that the best teams demonstrate almost 60% effectiveness in individual defensive actions. While the efficiency of 1-on-1 situations is the highest in the middle stage of both parts of the game and in the defensive zone, it decreases with the lapse of time and in relation with the shift of action towards the opponent's goal. Conlusions. Efficiency in 1-on-1 play determines success in competition and high reliability of individual defensive actions at the level close to 60% is the key differentiator of the winners' style of play.