Real Match Research Articles

The effects of VAR interventions on self-rated mental fatigue and self-rated performance of football referees

ABSTRACT Football referees are required to make numerous decisions per match under physiological and emotional strain. Within this context, VAR (video assistant referee) interventions represent a key match event in which referees’ critical decisions are challenged and thus their perceived ability to control the match might also be obscured. In this study, we investigated the effects of a VAR intervention on referees’ self-rated mental fatigue (MF) and performance. Nine elite referees completed over 2–6 real matches each (total of 44 matches) a single item of MF before the match, at half-time, and immediately after the match. Situational and performance indices were also collected. The referees’ level of MF significantly increased from pre-match to half-time to post-match, yet the referees were not completely mentally fatigued at the end of the matches. Post-match MF was higher (a medium effect) for matches with a VAR intervention (n = 9) compared with matches without an intervention (n = 35). Post-match MF correlated negatively with self-rated performance, r(44) = .35, p = .019. These findings are discussed in relation to current theory and research in the area of self-control and MF in sports. We also provide recommendations for referee training and match preparation.

The Effect of Drill Training Program Like Game Situation on Forehand and Backhand Shots in Pickleball Sport

This research aims to see how the situational game-like drill training program influences pickleball shots. Pickleball is an increasingly popular sport with a need for evolving techniques and strategies. A structured and effective practice program is critical to improving pickleball players' skills. One interesting approach is the drill-like game situation training program, which aims to simulate game situations similar to real matches. This study aimed to explore the effects of such a training program on hitting in pickleball. This research provides an essential contribution to understanding the effectiveness of the drill-like game situation training program in improving hitting skills in pickleball. These findings imply that pickleball coaches and players may consider integrating such training programs into their training plans to achieve better match results.

Research on Momentum Analysis of Tennis Match Based on Machine Learning

This study aims to quantify momentum changes in tennis matches by building a machine learning model and investigate their impact on match outcomes. Firstly, a momentum model is established to quantify the momentum value of players by defining basic points, break points, guaranteed points and continuous points. Then, the momentum curve of players is calculated using real match data, and its high match with the match trend is verified. Then, the correlation between momentum value and match result is tested by statistical test method. The results show that there is a significant correlation between momentum value and match victory. Further, the displacement test verifies that the change of momentum value is not random, but reflects the actual trend of the game. This study proves that momentum plays an important role in tennis matches, and its change has a significant impact on match results, which provides an important reference for further research and application of momentum.

VIRD: Immersive Match Video Analysis for High-Performance Badminton Coaching.

Badminton is a fast-paced sport that requires a strategic combination of spatial, temporal, and technical tactics. To gain a competitive edge at high-level competitions, badminton professionals frequently analyze match videos to gain insights and develop game strategies. However, the current process for analyzing matches is time-consuming and relies heavily on manual note-taking, due to the lack of automatic data collection and appropriate visualization tools. As a result, there is a gap in effectively analyzing matches and communicating insights among badminton coaches and players. This work proposes an end-to-end immersive match analysis pipeline designed in close collaboration with badminton professionals, including Olympic and national coaches and players. We present VIRD, a VR Bird (i.e., shuttle) immersive analysis tool, that supports interactive badminton game analysis in an immersive environment based on 3D reconstructed game views of the match video. We propose a top-down analytic workflow that allows users to seamlessly move from a high-level match overview to a detailed game view of individual rallies and shots, using situated 3D visualizations and video. We collect 3D spatial and dynamic shot data and player poses with computer vision models and visualize them in VR. Through immersive visualizations, coaches can interactively analyze situated spatial data (player positions, poses, and shot trajectories) with flexible viewpoints while navigating between shots and rallies effectively with embodied interaction. We evaluated the usefulness of VIRD with Olympic and national-level coaches and players in real matches. Results show that immersive analytics supports effective badminton match analysis with reduced context-switching costs and enhances spatial understanding with a high sense of presence.

Defining Worst-Case-Scenario Thresholds in Soccer: Intensity Versus Volume.

This study aimed to enhance the understanding of soccer match peak demands by describing worst-case scenario (WCS) and time spent above 80% and 90% of the WCS for total distance (TD) and high-speed running (HSR). The investigation considered playing level (first team vs under-19 [U19] team) and playing position (center backs, fullbacks, midfielders, and forwards) to assess how WCS and the time spent above specific thresholds vary across different populations. Data from 31 players in a professional Italian soccer club were collected during the 2022-23 season. Microtechnology devices tracked physical activity during matches. Players were categorized by position, and WCS was determined using rolling averages over a 1-minute period. Time spent above 80% and 90% of WCS for TD and HSR was calculated. The U19 team exhibited higher HSR WCS compared with the first team (∼63m·min-1 vs ∼56m·min-1). Midfielders recorded the highest TD WCS (∼208m·min-1), and forwards exhibited the highest HSR WCS (∼70m·min-1). The first team spent significantly more time above 80% (∼6min) and 90% (∼1min) of TD WCS. Midfielders spent significantly more time above the 80% (∼7min) of TD WCS, while forwards above the 80% (∼2min) of HSR WCS. The study emphasizes that WCS used alone may not sufficiently capture real match intensity. Considering the time spent above specific thresholds provides additional insights (ie,between-levels differences and position). Practitioners should consider both WCS and time spent above thresholds for individualized training prescriptions, reflecting differences in playing roles.

How do anxiety and stress affect soccer referees? An ERPs study.

The decision-making of soccer referees is one of the typical forms influenced by factors such as environmental pressure and individual emotions. While previous studies have explored how common factors like personal anxiety and on-field pressure affect the decisions of soccer referees, the mechanisms by which anxiety influences decision-making under pressure remain unclear. This study developed a penalty task based on real soccer match scenarios and recruited 76 experienced soccer referees. These referees were divided into two groups, high anxiety and low anxiety, based on their anxiety levels, to perform decision-making tasks under different pressure environments simulated to mimic real matches. Additionally, this research employed Event-Related Potential (ERP) technology to compare the brain signals of soccer referees with different levels of anxiety when facing foul play under various pressure environments. It was found that referees with high levels of anxiety displayed larger P300 and N400 amplitudes in a low-pressure environment (p = 0.0059, t = 2.9437). However, no significant differences in P300 and N400 amplitudes were observed between referees with high and low levels of anxiety under high-pressure conditions (p = 0.1890, t = 1.3411). This study not only reveals the complex mechanisms of anxiety in the decision-making process of referees but also emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing the psychological state of referees in competitive sports to improve the quality of their decisions. Our findings provide an empirical basis for future efforts to mitigate the impact of anxiety and optimize the decision-making process in similar high-pressure environments.

The Effect of Variation Training on Passing and Stopping Skills in Football on Students’ Extracurricular at SMPN 1 Siak Hulu, Kampar Regency

Based on observations conducted at Students’ Extracurricular at SMPN 1 Siak Hulu, Kampar Regency, the author notices that the basic techniques of Passing and Stopping are still lacking. This is proven by the inaccurate passing of the ball to the other players, and the students' inability to stay in control of the ball when receiving passes, which prevents football game from reaching maximum results, especially in real matches. Football passing and stopping skills can be improved through variation training methods. This study aimed to determine if different exercises have an effect on passing and stopping in football on students’ extracurricular at SMPN 1 Siak Hulu, Kampar District. This is quantitative research applying a Pre-experiment design with a Pretest-Posttest design and a statistical formula or T-score. Population is the entire object of research, so for this study, the population consisted of all 24 students who participated in extracurricular football activities at SMPN 1 Siak Hulu, Kampar Regency. The t-count value for this study was 13.18, while the t-table with a significant 5% and db = N-1 (24-1 = 23) was 2.07. Therefore, t count > t table. Thus, there is a substantial difference between the results of the Pretest and Posttest. Based on the findings of this study, it can be concluded that the proposed hypothesis regarding the relationship between Variation Training on Passing and Stopping Skills in Football on Students’ Extracurricular at SMPN 1 Siak Hulu, Kampar Regency is accepted. Students who participate in extracurricular football activities at SMPN 1 Siak Hulu, Kampar Regency, and who wish to improve their football skills are advised to always practice diligently. This is due to the fact that a form of sport skill can only be acquired through regular, continuous practice.

A new microarchitecture hardware proposal for the use of the improved template matching method in face similarity detection

Template matching is a technique used in many different areas in the literature to search for a small template image in a larger source image. The execution time of the technique can be quite high depending on the size of the source image, since the search made in the large image is realized pixel by pixel in the form of frames selected in the template size. This situation creates inconveniences in terms of real-time use of the technique. In addition, the results cannot be interpreted correctly due to the fact that there are many fake matches in the region where there are real matches. In this study, the technique was strengthened with a new and simple proposal called neighborhood pool to prevent fake matches. In order to reduce the long scan time to real-time execution time, the reinforced template matching technique was redesigned as an FPGA-based hardware architecture. This new micro-hardware architecture, which includes the neighborhood pool idea, was synthesized and embedded in the FPGA device by time analysis and tested on the device. For the tests of the study, the face matching scenario was chosen and the face image of a particular person was searched in the larger source image. The improved template matching technique in software-based tests reduced the execution time by about 4.5 times compared to the classical template matching method, and about 300 times in hardware testing, and it was observed that the system execution time became compatible with real-time. When the proposed new micro hardware architecture is compared with the CNN and template matching designs in the literature, it is clearly seen that it has a very low hardware requirement compared to them.

Tac‐Anticipator: Visual Analytics of Anticipation Behaviors in Table Tennis Matches

AbstractAnticipation skill is important for elite racquet sports players. Successful anticipation allows them to predict the actions of the opponent better and take early actions in matches. Existing studies of anticipation behaviors, largely based on the analysis of in‐lab behaviors, failed to capture the characteristics of in‐situ anticipation behaviors in real matches. This research proposes a data‐driven approach for research on anticipation behaviors to gain more accurate and reliable insight into anticipation skills. Collaborating with domain experts in table tennis, we develop a complete solution that includes data collection, the development of a model to evaluate anticipation behaviors, and the design of a visual analytics system called Tac‐Anticipator. Our case study reveals the strengths and weaknesses of top table tennis players' anticipation behaviors. In a word, our work enriches the research methods and guidelines for visual analytics of anticipation behaviors.

A color-related bias in offside judgments in professional soccer: A matter of figure-background contrast?

We investigated the impact of outfit colors on the frequency of offside judgments in soccer. In a recent laboratory study, observers made more offside judgments against forwards wearing the outfit of Schalke 04 (blue shirts, white shorts) than against forwards wearing the outfit of Borussia Dortmund (yellow shirts, black shorts), when figure-background luminance contrast was higher for the former team. Here, we investigated whether a similar effect is present in real matches of the German Bundesliga. Study 1 revealed a higher offside score for Schalke 04 than for Borussia Dortmund in matches between these clubs. Studies 2-4 showed higher offside scores for teams wearing a blue/white outfit, and lower offside scores for teams wearing a yellow/black outfit, in their matches against all other Bundesliga teams. Together, results suggest that more offside judgments are made against teams of higher salience, possibly induced by differences in figure-background contrast. Notably, this color-related bias occurred in our study even though a Video-Assistant Referee (VAR) supervised the (offside) decisions of the Assistant Referees.

Virtual reality as a representative training environment for football referees

Visual experience plays an important role in facilitating referee decision-making. Video training can be used to train these perceptual-cognitive skills in discrete scenarios, for instance in foul situations in football, but is less suitable in other instances such as when seeking to make decisions in open-play scenarios due to a lack of representativeness. Recent technological advances enable the use of virtual reality (VR) to replicate game situations in a controlled and realistic manner. It is however not yet known how representative behaviour in VR would be of behaviour on-field in the natural environment. The aim of the study was therefore to examine the degree to which visual behaviour of football referees in virtual reality would reflect behaviour found when adjudicating matches on-field. Sub-elite football referees completed decision-making tasks in three experimental conditions: on-field (in a real match), in virtual reality and when observing video footage. Across the three environments we compared decision-making performance, visual behaviour (including search rate, fixation duration, and head movements) and the user experience of the referees. Results revealed that behaviour in the VR environment was indistinguishable from that on-field. In contrast, visual-motor behaviour when observing video footage was markedly different to that found on-field (and in VR). The results show that visual-motor behaviour in VR is representative of that found on-field and therefore suggests that VR offers promise as a representative training environment for sports officials to improve on-field performance in the natural environment.

Bioadsorption – To Clean Match Industry Effluent Toxicity

This study investigates the possibility of applying an adsorption process using seaweed dry powder natural seaweeds the adsorbents were used to treat real match industry effluent. Bioadsorption is an effective low-cost tool for cleaning polluted environment. In the present study the seedlings of Vigna mungo (L) Hepper were treated with various concentrations of match industry effluent and their impact on the growth, biochemical and enzyme characters were studied. After fourteen days treatment with different concentration of match industry effluent (20%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%) the growth parameter such as,shoot and root lengths, leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight were decreased than the control. Biochemical parameters such as chlorophyll, carotenoids, soluble sugar, protein content and nitrate reductase activity also decreased with the increase in the concentration of cobalt chloride. But the content of free amino acid, proline, phenol and leaf nitrate content were increased with the increase in the concentration of cobalt chloride. The activities of enzyme such as catalase, peroxidase and polyphenol oxidase were found to be increased with the increase in the concentration of match industry effluent. Application of seaweed (Sargassum wightii) in different concentrations (2gm/L, 4gm/L and 6gm/L) on 60% efluent treated plants has shown the stress relieving effect caused by the toxins of match industry effluent. It is good low cost bioadsorbant for match industry effluent pollution.

Selection of dream-11 players in T20 cricket by using TOPSIS method

In terms of competitors, spectators, and media interest, cricket is one of the favorite international sports. At the international level, cricket may be played in three formats: a five-day Test, a one-day International (ODI) for each squad of 50 overs, and a Twenty-Twenty (T20) for each team of 20 overs. Various online games that are based on the aforementioned cricket forms allow players to form a virtual squad of real-life players and score points based on how well they perform in real matches. A user gains better rank on the leaderboard if they get the most points in all of the contests they have participated in. Dream11 is one such online gaming platform which offers free and paid contests and thereby gamers can win some cash rewards. So users can select the eleven players and form a team. These eleven players should be selected from the two teams between which the match will be played. Additionally, these eleven players may be chosen from either one team or a combination of the two teams. To identify the eleven players for the T20 cricket format who can provide the maximum score to get the best rank in competitions, many studies employ Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM).In this paper, the TOPSIS method is utilized (weights of the performance factors of players are evaluated by using AHP) to determine the top eleven players.

Comparison of perspective passing performance in football games for persipura u-16 players pro academy elite league

Technical performance studies in professional football players need to be carried out intensely. The performance data from junior elite football was very useful for talent identification and further development. However, typical research is still rarely carried out, while previous research has focused on identifying talented players based on anthropometric, physiological, psychological, sociological and technical skills data. In this study, the assessment was no longer carried out from isolated situations but shifts to special assessments in real match situations, so that the results may contribute to talent identification. The purpose of this study was to assess the passing performance of elite junior football players in actual matches by comparing the performance of the Persipura U16 team in 2018 and 2019. The average value of passing, successful passing, and accuracy of passing in the 2018 season was 157, 101, and 66%, while the average value in the 2019 season was 167, 111, and 67%, respectively. Although the value increased slightly, however based on the calculation results there were no significant differences in the passing performance of the Persipura U-16 team in 2018 and 2019 league sessions. The results provide a recommendation that the practice session of passing techniques for junior football players, particularly Persipura U-16, should be carried out more in game situations and not in isolated situations.

Quiet Eye supports winner shots in a simulated table tennis competition.

QE is defined as the final fixation on a specific location or object in the visuomotor workspace, for a minimum of 100 ms, that enables the athletes to gather relevant information before a critical movement. Several lines of research indicate that QE contributes to sports performance. However, its contribution to performance is derived mainly from research investigating isolated motor tasks. Therefore, little is known about its contribution in realistic competitional settings. The present study determined whether QE contributes to table tennis performance obtained from matches played in a simulated competition. Athletes (N=10) performed two matches, one against a difficult and one against an accessible opponent. Gaze behavior was captured using Tobii Glasses 2. We found that athletes made longer QE before winner balls (i.e., balls that scored a point), compared to forced and unforced errors (pbonferroni =0.005, t=-4.45; pbonferroni <0.001, t=-6.45). Confirming that QE contributes to performance in a real match even in a competitional setting. We found no significant effect for the difficulty of the match, nor an interaction between the difficulty of the match and the type of shots Fs (1, 9) < 2.26, ps >0.16 0.70, η2 ps < 0.20. The present study provides evidence for QE's contribution to sports performance investigated in a "gold standard" ecological environment. More specifically, it provides evidence that QE gradually increases with the quality of the shot. Identical patterns were found regardless of the difficulty of the match.

Interactive Three-Phase Structure for Table Tennis Performance Analysis: Application to Elite Men’s Singles Matches

The aim of the current study was twofold: (a) to construct an Interactive Three-Phase Structure for table tennis performance analysis and (b) to apply the proposed structure to the performance analysis of elite men’s singles matches. The current structure makes improvements over the former ones in the following aspects: more comprehensive performance variables consisting of bilateral actions covering the whole rally competing process, a better phase division method fitting to the real match situation and more focused analysis achieved by the designed critical phase. The analysis of 56 elite men’s singles matches (5507 rallies) was conducted using the proposed structure. The results demonstrated that performance variables of the rally competing process ceasing in Phase 2 (initial attack and counterattack phase) were decisive for the rally outcome of elite men’s singles matches. The proposed structure provides practitioners with a better model to enhance the effectiveness of table tennis performance analysis.

Changes in body mass and hydration status in judo athletes before and after a top-level competition: a descriptive case study

ABSTRACT Objectives The International Judo Federation (IJF) implemented new regulations in an attempt to regulate rapid weight loss in 2013. The body weight of the athletes cannot be more than 5% higher than the upper limits of their weight categories at the weight check for randomly selected athletes from each weight category before the competition. However, therea lack of studies demonstrating rapid weight loss and hydration status of elite judo athletes in a real match atmosphere under the current refereeing rules. Thus, this study aimed to examine the body mass and hydration changes of elite judo athletes a week before the competition, official weigh-in, and 24 hours after competition. Methods Eight high-level male judo athletes voluntarily participated in this study. Body mass and urinary measures of hydration status were collected a week before, at the official weigh-in and 24-hour post-weigh-in. Results The one-way repeated-measures ANOVA showed a significant main effect of time on body mass (p < 0.001). Body mass decreased by 5.4 ± 0.7 kg or 6.8% from a week before the competition to official weigh-in (p < 0.001) and increased by 3.0 ± 1.1 kg or 4.2% from official weigh-in to 24-h post-competition (p < 0.001). A significant effect of time was also found in both urine-specific gravity (USG) (p < 0.001) and urine color (UC) among the measurements (p = 0.001). Athletes’ USG values were at the highest level (USG = 1.030 ± 0.001) at the official weigh-in, while they decreased significantly at 24-hour post-competition (USG = 1.017 ± 0.007). Conclusion The results showed that elite judo athletes resort to rapid weight loss and present dehydration despite established regulations by the IJF.

Organizational efficiency of modern competition systems in professional sport games

Professional sport have been developing dynamically in the last few decades. This is evidenced in particular by the growth of its income. The last one is directly related to a quality product produced by a professional sport – a spectacular competition. In particular, in the last few decades, the system of competitions in professional sport has acquired an updated form, significantly changed both quantitative and qualitative indicators of it held. Purpose. To identify key factors in the organizational effectiveness of modern competition systems in professional sports (for example, North American (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS), European (UEFA, FIBA / ULEB) and global organizations (ITL/ATP, PGA)). Methods: data analysis and generalization; theoretical interpretation and explanation; analysis of documentary materials, system analysis. Results. Modern systems of professional sports competitions in North America (NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, MLS) operate according to similar rules. Changes within these systems today are primarily due to public demand. In some leagues (NFL, NHL, MLS,) there has been and continues to be an expansion of teams. In fact, all of these organizations today focus on competitions and in the international sports arena, although until recently the domestic market was more important for them. Due to the development of technology, the leadership of the leagues is increasingly focused on the e-sports market. They develop their own competition systems in a virtual environment and use the latest technologies in conducting and broadcasting real matches, bringing the viewer and the player closer. In Europe, organizations such as UEFA, FIBA/ULEB are also experimenting with changes in the number of teams (increasing in some and decreasing in other competitions) and the format of key tournaments. The professional sports organizations such as ITL/ATP and PGA also impresses with the number of tournaments today. In addition, these organizations are characterized by unique systems of competition, which were also formed as a reaction to external factors (economic, social, informational, etc.). Conclusions. The key factors of organizational efficiency of modern competition systems in professional sports are the level of economic development, technology and information spheres, the level of interest of the international community in kind of sport, the social position of leagues, and most importantly today - development in a pandemic condition.

Content Validity of Agility Test in Karate Kumite Category

Background: Kumite is a category in karate match. It is a one-on-one match that requires complex physical aspects, one of which is physical agility. In a real match, kumite requires movements to shift the direction quickly when a karateka aims to hit his opponent. For that reason, there should be a program and an assessment to improve the physical agility of the karate athletes who compete in kumite category. The document analysis of this research found that there has not been any assessment tool for the agility aspect in kumite, while the existing agility test measuring tool was only designed for sports in general. Purpose: This research aimed to develop the construction of karate agility test for the kumite category. Design/methodology/approach: This is a developmental research which consisted of 3 stages. In the first stage, documents and research journals were analyzed to develop the construction of karate agility test for the kumite category. In the second stage, the Delphi technique was utilized and the experts were asked to assess he construction of karate agility test for the kumite category resulted in the first stage. In the third stage, the results of expert judgment with the Aiken formula were analyzed to test the content validity. The participants in this research were documents and seven experts. Results: It was found in the construction of the Kumite category karate agility test; item one, the content or material got a V value of 0.85; item two, the distance between the cone had a V value of 0.95; item three, the safety of the equipment used has a V value of 0.90; item four, the number of test replications had a V value of 0.90; item five, the clarity of the test procedure had a V value of 0.90; items six, the clarity of the test score had a V value of 0.90. Conclusion: The karate agility test construction for the kumite category had high content validity.

Interpersonal interaction during official soccer matches considering the coupling of different playing positions

ABSTRACT We analysed the interpersonal interaction between players during official matches considering the coupling of different playing positions. 2D coordinates and technical actions of 204 male professional football players during eight matches were obtained using a video-based tracking system. Dyads were composed of the nearest opponents and the interpersonal distance and frequency were computed. Dyadic distances were used to estimate the pressure index of defensive teams and the relationship with technical performance. Full-backs presented the greatest distances of their opponents. Dyads between defenders and forwards presented the shortest distances and were more frequent. In moments with ball possession the midfielders and forwards have more than one defensive player as the nearest opponent to them. The pressure index of defensive teams was significantly negatively and positively correlated with tackles performed by them, and successful passes of offensive teams, respectively, suggesting that defensive players more distant from the offensive players performed less tackles and provided better conditions for their opponents to perform passes. Interpersonal interaction is influenced by playing positions and maintaining proximity to the opponents can improve defensive technical performance. Information about the interpersonal interactions in real match situations provides the fundamentals for future research and assists coaches in planning tactical training.