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Use of a modified Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 2 test for evaluation of field soccer referees

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Abstract

Background

Since 1989, FIFA has used a battery of physical tests to evaluate the fitness levels of soccer referees. However, to date, there is no consensus, and the specificity, reliability, and validity of these tests remain a matter of debate.

Aims

Develop a new specific field test to assess the fitness level of field soccer referees.

Methods

Oxygen consumption (VO2) of 12 male professional field soccer referees was directly measured with a portable metabolic gas analysis system during two incremental protocols: treadmill and a Yo-Yo IE2 adapted in-field test (ADYYIE2). Physiological performance was measured by GPS methodology.

Results

The distance covered until exhaustion between the protocols was 2098.61 ± 425.72 and 1025.83 ± 304.89 m, for the treadmill and ADYYIE2 protocols, respectively (p < 0.0001). Time to exhaustion during the treadmill protocol was also significantly higher than that observed in the ADYYIE2 test. The VO2peak measured were not significantly different between the protocols. A significant correlation was obtained between the total distance covered during the ADYYIE2 test and VO2peak, but the relationship between the treadmill protocol and VO2peak was not significant. The VO2peak values obtained during the ADYYIE2 test showed a correlation of very large magnitude with the total distance covered and the amount of high intensity activities recorded during an official match. Therefore, these match activities are related to the physical capacity of the referee evaluated by the test proposed.

Conclusions

This study is the first to direct assessment the VO2peak during a Yo-Yo test performance (via portable spirometry), and the main finding was that direction change influences the physiological parameters assessed during physical tests.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author [RF].

Abbreviations

VO2 :

Oxygen consumption

VO2peak :

Peak oxygen uptake

ADYYIE2:

Yo-Yo IE2 adapted protocol

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Nilo Massaru Okuno and Dr. Alberto I. Da Silva (Laboratory of Physiology, Health and Sport, LAFISE, State University of Ponta Grossa, UEPG) for helping with open circuit spirometry experiments and useful suggestions. The authors also thank Dr. Sergio Gregorio Da Silva and Paulo Redkva (Department of Physical Education, UFPR) for helping with the portable metabolic gas analysis system. M.R. Paes received a fellowship from CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), Brazil.

Funding

CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), Brazil.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Secretaria Municipal de Esportes de Ponta Grossa (SMESP), Ponta Grossa, Brazil

    Mauro Ricetti Paes

  2. Departamento de Fisiologia-Setor de Ciências Biológicas-UFPR, Physiology Department, Centro Politecnico S/N, Federal University of Parana (UFPR), Postal Box 19031, Curitiba, CEP 81531-970, Brazil

    Ricardo Fernandez

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Contributions

MRP conceived the study, participated in the data collection and analysis, and drafted the manuscript; RF helped to design the study and draft the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript, and agree with the order of presentation of the authors.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ricardo Fernandez.

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Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the local Ethic Committee (Record 015813/2014), complying with the Resolution no. 466/2012 of the Brazilian National Council of Health, and to the tenets of the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki and its later amendments.

Informed consent

The experimental procedures, study design, and possible risks were explained, and the participants signed an informed consent form.

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Paes, M.R., Fernandez, R. Use of a modified Yo-Yo intermittent endurance level 2 test for evaluation of field soccer referees. Sport Sci Health (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-024-01224-6

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