Genetic Testing In Youth Sports

Now becoming readily available for a range of different applications, such as, future disease risk and ancestry exploration, genetic testing has also become popular in sports as many online genetic testing companies offer a variety of different sports performance tests. These tests range from single gene tests to multiple detailed tests on numerous sports performance genes. In a sports culture that has established a mindset for success as “winning is everything”, the pressure from society to use these genetic testing procedures in youth has brought a greater challenge to specialists across the world of sports (Brooks, Alison, and Beth A. Tarini. Mar. 2011.). This essay will analyse and bring forth arguments concerning this issue and whether

The tests aim to identify the ACE and ACTN3 genes. An ACTN3 genotype is generally characterised with power and speed, whereas, an ACEII genotype is generally characterised with endurance (Geier, David, Dr. 21 Jan. 2016.). If an individual holds an ACTN3 genotype, they are 20% more likely to become an elite or professional athlete in a sport depending upon an athlete’s speed or power. The ACTN3 gene profile is believed to be commonly possessed throughout the British population as 20 million of the roughly 65 million population hold the genotype. According to these previous statistics, it is hard to believe that 30% of the British population are professional or elite athletes. Even though, the identification of the ACTN3 gene often leads to a higher chance of an individual specialising or becoming an elite athlete, many experts in the fields of sports performance, anti-doping and genomics insist that genetic testing has no role to play in athletic talent identification (Yang, Nan, Daniel G. MacArthur, Jason P. Gulbin, Allan G. Hahn, Alan H. Beggs, Simon Easteal, and Kathryn North. 23 July

Though many parents pay for private coaches and opt to travel long distances in order for their children to practice with elite teams and homeschool their children so that they have more time to train, it comes as no surprise that parents decide to test their children’s sports performance potential through genetic testing (Geier, David, Dr. 21 Jan. 2016.). Many businesses who target parents and coaches, believe gene testing is important, especially as it is able to fulfil its need and identify athletic talent in youth sports, as the figure of 22 companies providing direct-to-consumer genetic tests has almost doubled to 39 companies in 2015, as stated in a recent report published by the International Federation of Sports Medicine’s Scientific Commission. Most of these companies advertise their genetic tests at a cost of around $250 or £170 (Schmidt, Sarah. 6 Apr.