Technology in sports – the importance of striking the right balance between unlimited power and powerlessness

Wearables, smart textiles, or the oft-cited video assistant referee- technology has become an integral part of the professional sports world. But what happens when technology gains the upper hand? An interdisciplinary symposium discussed this question as part of this year’s conference theme of the TechnologieAllianzOberfranken (TAO for short: a collaboration between the University of Bamberg, the University of Bayreuth, the Hof University of Applied Sciences, as well as the Coburg University of Applied Sciences). Professor Stefan Voll was a speaker at the event, which took place at the end of April.

In this MEDICA-tradefair.com interview, the head of the University Athletics Center and the Transfer Center for Applied Sports Sciences at the University of Bamberg explains how technology can affect sports and athletes.

Professor Voll, are modern technologies reinventing the sports experience? And if so, in what way?

Prof. Stefan Voll: Modern technologies and medical options will not completely reinvent sports but will redefine and change the sector tremendously. "Panta rhei!" – means everything flows, all things are in flux, and this also applies to modern sport, which faces inevitable processes of change.

Faster, higher, farther are comparatives that will also increasingly encompass and affect the technological arena. In a world of cut-throat competition where "winning is everything" and "second place is the first loser" are the preeminent dogmatic beliefs, it shouldn't come as a surprise that success trumps Olympic ideals.

Right now, everyone involved benefits from victories, including the media, the sporting environment, the athletes, and the associations. Why would you then want to change this apparent model of success? Yet if this process continues unchecked, the athlete’s personal stake and thus the authenticity of a fair competition will decline more and more.

Can one avoid an increasing digitization of sports?

Voll: Digitization can no longer be avoided since it has already captivated extensive parts of the performance optimization process – especially outside the personal context – and is making the latter increasingly significant.

At present, 200 sensors on each Formula 1 racing car generate the unbelievable amount of data of 250 data points per second, which are processed in real time and harnessed to improve the performance by calculating the optimal time to make a pit stop, tire changes or overtaking maneuvers. But where does this leave the driver’s individual performance and responsibility? Rolling back or reversing this process of digitization would be equivalent to fighting windmills. By now, (media) consumers are used to these external performance metrics and exciting data analytics, thus having prompted the sports industry – after its initial hesitation to embrace digital transformation – to go on the offensive.

Recently developed nanobots can give us an inkling of what this type of process may lead to. In this case, microrobots are introduced in the metabolism to deliver energy or to stimulate muscles in crucial competitions.

Data as such isn’t a bad idea when it comes to monitoring training intensity, regeneration, and injury prevention. What are important aspects to consider when it comes to data collection?

Voll: The advice for coaches and those in charge would be: "Respice finem!" (Look to the end; consider the final outcome!), because if this ultimately leads to a transparent, externally controlled person, sport is in danger of becoming a competition between the best doctors and engineers. In this case, it is difficult to set boundaries between what is a medically necessary and what is medically (ethically) justifiable.

Here is an example of this: Bioprinting prints organic tissue using a 3D printer. On the one hand, the perfect fit and highly elastic material can help cruciate ligaments heal more quickly, which means a competitive athlete can return earlier to sports after an injury. On the other hand, athletic performance can be increased by changing tissue properties (flexibility, resilience, etc.). It is also imperative to collect and manage the personal data with responsibility.

Is there a way to protect athletes?

Voll: Sport is a mirror of society, with both focusing on performance optimization. The similarities in analogies or interdependencies between professional sport and business life are striking. All processes on both sides are geared toward securing your livelihood, protecting your money and reputation, and outrivaling your competition.

If you think you can control this process of technological and medical takeover of the athletes, you may also think finger-wagging helps curb tax evasion or corruption. Unfortunately, this is not how human behavior usually works. Humans have an omnipresent propensity to seek an advantage, which means we only behave in accordance with the rules if there is a reasonable chance of being caught. Drivers only observe speed limits if they suspect speed camera enforcement. Since there are not enough speed traps in high-performance sport, only a sanctioning system might help.

Performance optimization has also conquered the amateur and recreational sport level. Do "ordinary people" who want to get or stay active really benefit from gadgets such as fitness trackers?

Voll: Of course, we should keep up with the times and tools such as smartwatches deliver obvious benefits. You can analyze, plan, and manage your fitness training more accurately by collecting training-related metrics such as distance traveled, lap times, heart rate, and calories burned. These sports and fitness watches are easily accessible and affordable for amateur athletes, making them a great alternative to performance diagnostics used by professionals (such as lactate diagnostics and spiroergometry) or professional workout schedules.

On the flip side, it ultimately means performance is increasingly being “outsourced” and decision-making processes – as it pertains to training activities, for example - are progressively determined by technical input. It is up to you whether you favor this aspect, as the continuation of this optimization process is expected. On the one hand, we are starting to reach the limits of feasibility, along with the risk of being controlled by this aspect and having your personal data exploited (remember that data is the currency of the 21st century). On the other hand, athletes gradually lose the subjective feeling of their own body as a result. This is increasingly shaking the foundations of sport as it pertains to self-determination and personal performance management and fosters demystification. Respice finem!