ISSN : 1598-2920
PURPOSE This study investigated the experiences of national-level female elite athletes with disabilities and examined their support needs within a policy framework, aiming to develop strategies for advancing elite parasports. METHODS To address this objective, semistructured interviews were conducted with 11 Korean female para-athletes (M = 46.6 ± 9.01yrs). Two researchers with experience in parasports developed the interview protocol. Individual interviews employed open-ended questions to explore multiple aspects of participants’ athletic careers. Each electronically recorded interview lasted 71–176 mins. Constant comparative method to iteratively generate themes from interview transcripts. RESULTS Using the Sports Policy Factors Leading to International Sporting Success framework, 9 common policy factors were identified, yielding 18 corresponding themes. Furthermore, the factors “Classification System” and “Family Support” were found to influence every stage of an athlete’s career, from initial attraction to retirement. CONCLUSIONS To enhance the success of Korean female athletes with disabilities, the following considerations are recommended: (1) establishing targeted support systems for post-partum athletes and navigating dual roles as athletes and mothers, (2) developing individualized talent pathways based on athletes’ circumstances and performance rather than agebased criteria, (3) expanding multidisciplinary support staff and resource provision to optimize training environments, and (4) strengthen specialized coaching capacity for female athletes with disabilities.
PURPOSE This study systematically observed and analyzed nonverbal behaviors performed during table tennis matches to develop a coding system facilitating an indepth understanding of their strategic and psychological functions. The key purpose of the study is to lay a foundation for practical applications and future research. METHODS A descriptive coding approach was used to develop a framework for the analysis of athletes’ nonverbal behaviors. The process of development followed a structured 10-step procedure that involved video analysis, expert review, and intercoder reliability assessment. Three trained coders participated in the development and application phases and were supported by two additional observers who had no pre-existing knowledge of the research purpose to enhance objectivity. Inter-coder reliability was evaluated using percent agreement and intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS In this process, 17 distinct nonverbal behavioral categories were identified and organized into four overarching categories: (1) Encouraging behaviors, intended to boost morale and concentration; (2) Equipment check behaviors, interpreted as attributive actions adopted to externalize responsibility for errors; (3) Pace control behaviors, which are intended to regulate match tempo and disrupt the opponent’s rhythm; and (4) Negative emotiondriven behaviors, which reflect internal emotional struggles. CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate the strategic and psychological significance of players’ nonverbal behaviors in competitive sports. The coding system developed in this study provides an objective framework for understanding athletes’ behaviors, providing insights that can contribute to emotion regulation during matches and the development of strategies for psychological warfare with opponents.
PURPOSE This study aims to examine how widespread disclosures of sports violence in South Korea (2018–2021) were culturally internalized by current universitylevel elite athletes who were adolescents at the time. Drawing on Richard Dawkins’ concept of memes, this study examines the cultural transmission and internalization of sports violence as a meme and explores how such violent memes may have ttransformed into ethical ones. METHODS This study employed Giorgi’s descriptive phenomenological method and conducted semi-structured interviews with ten collegiate elite athletes recruited through snowball sampling. Data were analyzed through a four-step process to identify the cultural perception structures underlying sports violence. RESULTS Participants initially normalized violence as part of athletic training but later critically reinterpreted it in response to shifting public discourse and ethics education. They identified performance-driven ideologies and hierarchical structures as key cultural factors that legitimize violence. Consequently, many participants rejected such norms and repositioned themselves as ethical agents. Ethical memes were found to propagate primarily through the practices of coaches and senior athletes rather than through formal institutional systems. Some participants demonstrated posttraumatic growth by committing not to reproduce violent behaviors. CONCLUSIONS Sports violence persists through cultural repetition and imitation but is increasingly challenged by emerging ethical memes. This shift necessitates perceptual change and structural transformation within sports organizations, highlighting the importance of promoting ethical practices through education, leadership, and policy interventions.
PURPOSE This study aims to investigate ksports over-the-top (OTT) content and examines the misalignment between experts’ strategic priorities and consumers’ usage perceptions to inform content planning strategies. METHODS The study employed a three-stage procedure: (1) Based on a literature review and Delphi survey rounds, five evaluation domains—enjoyment, information, novelty, convenience, and exclusivity—and 20 sub-items specific to sports OTT content, were identified; (2) Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis was applied to data from 30 OTT industry experts to determine the relative importance of each content attribute; and (3) Consumer perception analysis: Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) was conducted on responses from 295 Korean consumers who view sports OTT content at least once per week. RESULTS The Delphi surveys yielded five primary content attribute categories: enjoyment, information, novelty, convenience, and exclusivity. The AHP analysis showed that exclusivity ranked highest among evaluation domains, whereasattractiveness was the top-ranked sub-item. IPA results placed enjoyment, fun, diversity, timeliness, uniqueness, and attractiveness in the "Concentrate Here" quadrant. Notably, attractiveness and uniqueness were identified as top-priority attributes in the AHP analysis and the "Concentrate Here" quadrants of the IPA analysis. CONCLUSIONS By employing a three-stage approach—Delphi (exploratory), AHP (expert priority derivation), and IPA (consumer perception comparison)—this study integrates analyses of experts’ strategic judgments and consumers’ experiential perceptions to provide actionable content planning priorities and user-centered improvement strategies. This study proposes a multidimensional framework of sports OTT content attributes, extending prior research that primarily focused on consumer behavior. Practically, the study offers the following implications: (1) adopt differentiation strategies cautiously, emphasizing exclusivity; (2) prioritize attributes located in the “Concentrate Here” quadrant, including enjoyment and attractiveness; and (3) sustain and improve fundamental usability features, such as search functionality and accessibility.
PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the effects of a 10-week complex training program on physical fitness and running performance in male marathon club members aged 20–30 years. METHODS Thirty participants were recruited and randomly assigned to either a training group (TR) or a control group (CON). Following participant dropout, data from 14 participants in the TR and 13 in the CON were included in the final analysis. Participants in the TR completed complex training sessions lasting 60 minutes per session, twice per week, for 10 weeks, whereas the CON maintained their usual lifestyle patterns. Dependent variables—including body composition, physical fitness, and running performance—were measured pre- and post-intervention. Comparisons were made between groups and across time points using a two-way repeated measures ANOVA. RESULTS 1) Physical fitness: Squat 1RM, trap bar deadlift 1RM, and countermovement jump performance increased significantly in the TR; 2) Regarding running performance, drop jump and reactive strength index increased significantly in the TR; and 3) Running performance: time to exhaustion decreased significantly in the CON, whereas it was maintained in the TR, suggesting a protective effect of the complex training program. CONCLUSIONS The 10-week complex training program positively affected muscular strength, power, elastic utilization ability, and endurance (time to exhaustion) in male marathon club members. However, its effects were limited with respect to running efficiency, fatigue resistance, and rate of force development. Future studies should consider adjusting training intensity and volume and diversifying exercises to develop more effective programs for enhancing running performance.
PURPOSE This study aims to analyze the intention to adopt sports artificial intelligence (AI) coaching services by applying the theory of planned behavior(TPB) and examining generational differences in TPB factors between MZ and older generations. METHODS Data were collected through a survey of sports consumers, and 252 valid questionnaires were included in the final analysis. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling, and generational differences were assessed through latent mean analysis. RESULTS Attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly predicted adoption intention. Additionally, latent mean analysis revealed a significant generational difference in the subjective norms, with older generations perceiving them more strongly than the MZ generation. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the need for generation-specific strategies for sports AI coaching providers to enhance adoption.
PURPOSE This study examines the physical fitness profiles of emerging Para-athletes in South Korea and explores implications for future sports science support and talent development pathways. METHODS A total of 53 athletes (standing, n = 26; wheelchair, n = 27) were assessed between 2024 and January–June 2025. Participants were stratified according to disability type, sport classification, and age-group (adolescent vs. adult). Standardized test items applicable across sports were selected to assess general physical fitness in novice and developing athletes. Descriptive statistics were computed using International Business Machines Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Statistics (Version 23.0), and between-group differences were examined using cross-tabulation. RESULTS Among standing athletes, no significant differences were observed in anthropometric characteristics or physical fitness variables between adolescents and adults (p > 0.05). In contrast, among wheelchair athletes, significant age-group differences were observed for muscular strength and endurance. CONCLUSIONS This study provides preliminary reference data on the physical fitness characteristics of emerging Para-athletes in South Korea. Future research should prioritize sport-specific standardization of test protocols and adopt more refined grouping approaches based on disability type and classification level to enhance practical applicability.
PURPOSE Para ice hockey requires rapid cornering and directional changes; however, the influence of athlete–sledge coupling achieved through seating design on turning mechanics remains underexplored. This study examined whether a customized bucket (CB) enhances turning performance compared with a general bucket (GB) in para ice hockey athletes. METHODS Three national-team athletes with heterogeneous impairments (spinal cord injury and unilateral or bilateral lowerlimb amputation) performed three on-ice turning tasks—a 90° turn, a 180° turn, and a Z-turn—at maximal speed while using CB and GB in separate trials. Threedimensional kinematics data were collected using a 16-camera motion capture system (Vicon, Oxford, UK) at 100 Hz. Primary outcome variables included in-trial speed variation (Δv), path length, and trunk range of motion (ROM) in flexion/ extension, abduction/adduction, and axial rotation. RESULTS CB yielded smaller intrial speed variation (Δv) and shorter path lengths than GB across all turning tasks (90°: Δv=1.61±0.91 vs 2.49±0.71 m/s; 180°: 6.37±1.16 vs 6.53±0.51 m/s; Z-turn: 2.86±1.17 vs 3.36±0.76 m/s). Corresponding reductions in path length for CB relative to GB were also observed. Trunk ROM patterns indicated tighter trunk–sledge coupling during 90° and 180° turns and reduced unnecessary axial trunk rotation during the Z-turn when using CB. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that CB reduces speed loss and improves turning efficiency by enhancing trunk–sledge stability, thereby enabling tighter movement trajectories during high-speed cornering and directional changes in para ice hockey.
PURPOSE The aims of this study were to prospectively investigate the seasonal incidence and epidemiological characteristics of sports injuries according to peak height velocity (PHV) status among Korean male adolescent soccer players and to examine the interaction effect between maturity and activity type on detailed injury patterns. METHODS A total of 70 middle-school soccer players participated in this prospective cohort study. Based on 6-month height velocity, players were categorized into Circa-PHV (n=43) and Post-PHV (n=27) groups. Details regarding anthropometrics, exposure hours, and all musculoskeletal injuries were collected using the IOC Injury and Illness Surveillance Guidelines. Injury incidence (per 1000 athlete-exposures, AE) and relative risk were analyzed using Poisson regression and descriptive statistics. RESULTS A total of 125 injuries were recorded. Poisson regression revealed no significant main effect of maturation on overall injury incidence (p=.944). However, a significant interaction effect was detected between maturation and activity type for noncontact injuries (p=.020), with the Circa-PHV group exhibiting the highest incidence during matches (84.39/1000 AE). Matches posed a 15.6-fold higher injury risk than training (IRR=15.59, 95% CI: 10.49–23.18, p<.001). Regarding injury types, the Post-PHV group showed a 2.5-fold greater risk of muscle strains than the Circa-PHV group (IRR=2.46, 95% CI: 1.09–5.53, p=.029). CONCLUSIONS PHV is a critical determinant of injury risk and patterns in adolescent soccer players. Circa-PHV represents a vulnerable window for noncontact injuries under high-intensity match demands, and Post-PHV is characterized by a transition toward increased muscle strain risks. These results emphasize the need for maturation-informed load management and individualized prevention strategies to ensure athlete safety and long-term performance.
PURPOSE This study examined whether the intensity of participation in the National Fitness Award 100 (NFA100) program is associated with reductions in obesity prevalence and healthcare expenditure in South Korea. A continuoustreatment difference-in-differences (DID) framework with a pseudopanel structure was employed to address the absence of a natural control group. METHODS A pseudopanel defined by sex, age group, and month was constructed using administrative NFA100 records linked with external national statistics on obesity prevalence and healthcare expenditure covering the period from 2022 to 2024. Monthly counts of fitness measurements served as a continuous treatment indicator of participation intensity. To support causal interpretation, stringent diagnostics for the parallel trends assumption were conducted. Average treatment effects were estimated using two-way fixed effects (TWFE) models, and effect heterogeneity was examined through unit-specific interaction terms and a supplementary threecategory age-group specification. RESULTS Greater participation intensity in the NFA100 program was associated with statistically significant reductions in obesity prevalence. The magnitude of these effects was largest among adults in their 20s and 30s, whereas attenuated responses were observed among older adults. Healthcare expenditure also declined, although the estimated effects were modest in size. Substantial heterogeneity across age and sex groups was consistently identified. CONCLUSIONS Higher participation intensity in the NFA100 program contributes to meaningful reductions in obesity prevalence and modest decreases in healthcare expenditure, although program effectiveness varies considerably by age and gender. These findings underscore the importance of tailoring intervention strategies, particularly for older adults, and demonstrate the value of large-scale national health promotion programs.
PURPOSE This pilot study investigated biomechanical and physiological responses during walking and running on three surface materials: concrete, polyurethane, and cork. METHODS Four healthy young adult males completed barefoot walking at a speed of 1.4 m/s and running at 2.6 m/s on each surface under a randomized repeated-measures design. Tibial shock was quantified using a wireless inertial measurement unit attached to the distal tibia. Oxygen consumption (VO₂) and heart rate (HR) were measured using a portable metabolic analyzer and a heart rate monitor, respectively. RESULTS During walking, tibial shock tended to be lower on the cork surface in most participants. In contrast, no consistent surface-related pattern was observed during running, and substantial interindividual variability was evident. Heart rate remained relatively stable across locomotion conditions, although lower values were generally observed on cork and higher values on concrete surface. Oxygen consumption also exhibited considerable individual variability, with no clear differences detected among the surface conditions. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the findings suggest that cork surfaces may provide biomechanical advantages, attenuating impact forces during walking. However, physiological responses, including heart rate and oxygen consumption, appear to be less sensitive to surface materials. In addition, the results support the feasibility of the experimental protocol and provide a methodological foundation for future large-scale studies examining the effects of surface materials on locomotor performance.
PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to systematically review Korean research on genetics and athletic performance, to examine patterns of research accumulation and structural characteristics within the field of sports genetics in Korea, and to propose directions for future research. METHODS This study adopted a systematic review design. Relevant literature was retrieved from the Research Information Sharing Service (RISS) using the search terms “genetic performance” and “athlete genetics and exercise.” Following PRISMA guidelines, duplicate records, nonacademic publications, and studies with limited relevance to the research focus were excluded, yielding a final sample of 35 studies. The selected studies were analyzed across multiple dimensions, including research themes, athlete characteristics, and sport types, genetic variants examined, performance indicators, analytical methods, and interpretive approaches to gene–performance relationships. RESULTS The findings indicated that sports genetics research in Korea has predominantly focused on candidate gene approaches, with particular emphasis on the ACE and ACTN3 genes. Performance-related fitness variables, including aerobic power, aerobic capacity, and muscular strength, were the most frequently examined outcome measures. Study participants were primarily national-level and elite athletes, with research samples heavily concentrated in combat sports and ice sports. Methodologically, most studies relied on single-gene analyses, and interpretations of gene– performance relationships were largely based on between-group mean comparisons. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, Korean sports genetics research should transition toward the systematic adoption of polygenic and multi-marker approaches to improve explanatory power related to athletic performance and injury susceptibility. Moreover, the development of sport-specific and training–context–sensitive analytics is warranted, alongside validation of field applicability using performance-based data and cross-platform genetic analyses. Finally, establishing long-term research infrastructures grounded in longitudinal designs and standardized data accumulation will be essential for constructing a Korean-specific sports genetics research system that supports talent identification, individualized training, and injury prevention.
PURPOSE This study developed a video-based taekwondo match-analysis program and validated its usefulness as a match-analysis tool; women’s match videos from international competitions held after the revision of competition rules in June 2022 were used for this. METHODS Analysis was conducted on 78 women’s matches from international competitions that were held after the June 2022 revision of the rules, including the Chuncheon Asian Taekwondo Championships and the Rome Grand Prix. The analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26 and jamovi 1.1.9.0 to examine the independence and conditional efficiency of linked techniques, perform cross-tabulation analyses, and conduct hierarchical log-linear analyses. The odds ratios of key techniques with reference to match outcomes were calculated using Microsoft Excel. The match analysis program was developed in a Python 3.x environment. RESULTS The video-based taekwondo match-analysis program was shown to be an effective tool for match analysis, integrating technique tagging, frame-synchronized analysis, collection of athlete position coordinates, and scoring and statistical functions that reflected both pre- and post-rule revisions. In addition, weight class, attack type, and key technique execution were identified as significant factors that explained match outcomes. Among the key techniques, punches was a relatively higher execution frequency and odds ratio in winning matches. CONCLUSIONS The video-based taekwondo match-analysis program that was developed in this study demonstrates practical usefulness as an empirical performance tool of analysis capable of integratively collecting and analyzing technical execution, competition rules, spatial information, and scoring data.
