You could be pushing your sporty child too far

By Sam Squiers|

There’s a worrying new trend in genetic testing. People are now able to detect for athletic ability using a mail order test.

Can you imagine how the pushy parent would react with this “knowledge’? They’re likely to morph into a whole new unbearable beast, testing their children then enlisting them in a sport that neither interests or excites them simply because a test says they’re better suited to it. Modern day science paralleling a communist-like breeding program to build a superior sporting nation.

But sport isn’t about genetics. Success in sport comes from passion, hard work and determination. There’s no genetic disposition to these traits and genetics isn’t going to give you success without them.

And now the Australian Institute of Sport has been forced to intervene.

It has released new guidelines for genetic testing in sport and their use as talent identification in children.

“Private companies are already offering direct-to-customer tests, often without the involvement of medical practitioners or genetic counselling. Athletes and coaches should be discouraged from using this testing because of its lack of validation.” AIS Chief Medical Officer, Dr David Hughes released in a statement.

““This is of greatest concern for children. Aspiring athletes could be provided with inappropriate advice about their suitability for specific sporting activities and that could be detrimental to their physical and psychological health.”

The tests primarily detect the ACE gene recognised for improved performances in endurance sports and the ACTN3 gene associated with strength and power. They’re marketed with statements like “do you have the genetic gift of elite athletes?” and “identify your genetic abilities to produce optimal athletic performance”.

Now we all may have a chuckle in disbelief that this is actually on offer, but the more readily available they are, the more normalised they will become.

It’s a dangerous message we send to our kids that sporting success isn’t something we strive towards but something you’re simply born with. That there’s no use trying unless you have the genetic makeup. Or perhaps even that sport isn’t for everyone, only those tests say are gifted enough to succeed at.

Let’s not shatter the dreams of children before they have even started reaching for them.

Originally published on
