Genetic Testing in Sports

Sports is not really something I pay much attention to. Occasionally I may watch a game of soccer with my husband but I’m usually reading something at the same time. So I was pleasantly surprised to find that sportswriters think about genetics too.

Mark Brown of Shepparton News wrote about local sports teams using DNA testing on potential recruits:

…the one thing that can’t be determined through a prick of the finger is heart.

DNA testing can’t tell you what a player’s willing to endure to realise his dream of playing AFL footy. How he’ll run himself to the point of exhaustion and beyond, pump iron until his arms feel like they’re going to explode, and crash into packs with scant regard for personal safety.

Looks like introductory genetics should be part of sports training as well.