Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on match-activity and physical performance in professional football referees
To investigate the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on match-play metrics in professional football referees during official matches of the Spanish professional leagues. Forty-two professional football referees from the First (n = 20) and Second Division (n = 22) were monitored during 564 official games u...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Termedia Publishing House
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Biology of Sport |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.termedia.pl/Impact-of-COVID-19-lockdown-on-match-activity-and-physical-performance-in-professional-football-referees,78,45285,1,1.html |
| Summary: | To investigate the effect of COVID-19 lockdown on match-play metrics in professional football referees during official matches of the Spanish professional leagues. Forty-two professional football referees from the First (n = 20) and Second Division (n = 22) were monitored during 564 official games using Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. Data of matches before lockdown were compared to matches after resumption of the competition. Compared to pre-lockdown, in the referees of the First Division there was a decrease in the total running distance and the distance covered at all speed thresholds > 6 km ·h-1 after lockdown (P < .05). In the Second Division referees, the post-lockdown measurement only showed a decrease in the running distance at 21–24 km·h-1 (P < .05), with no changes in the other speed thresholds. The postlockdown measurement showed an increased distance covered at < 6 km·h-1 and the number of accelerations for both First and Second Division referees (P < .05). Referees’ match activity was reduced due to the COVID-19 lockdown, while the effect on running parameters was more pronounced in First Division referees. |
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| ISSN: | 0860-021X 2083-1862 |