Stating that genetic tests in sports can prevent sudden deaths, experts point to the importance of studies in this field. Sports genetics experts point out that especially professional athletes can learn whether they are predisposed to any disease with genetic tests that they can have done only once in their lives.
The latest publication of Sanjay Sharma, a professor at St. George's University, was published in the New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world's leading journals. The publication of Dr. Sharma, who is also a member of the British Football Association, brought the magnitude of the danger in the football season that has just started.
1 sudden death in every 200 thousand athletes
Sports geneticist and Üsküdar University Medical Genetics and Molecular Diagnosis Laboratory Lecturer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan emphasized that the issue is very important and made the following evaluations.
"In Dr. Sanjay Sharma's publication, the fact that the research was conducted not in professional athletes but in youth athletes makes the extent of the danger even more important. Especially in sports academies, very heavy training programs are applied and athletes are often overstrained. Individuals with a family history of cardiovascular problems often hide this information. When the data in the publication are analyzed, it shows that the risk of sudden death, which is estimated to be 1 in every 200 thousand athletes, has increased to frightening dimensions of 1 in 14,700."
It should be applied in all branches
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan pointed out that the other dimension of the research was that there were no symptoms in the physiological tests of these individuals and said that such tests should be applied in all branches of sports. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said, "Although the test results appear normal, the athlete may suddenly encounter unexpected events. It is not just about soccer. Genetic tests for athletes should also cover all other sports branches."
Risks can be reduced with a one-time genetic test
Stating that genetic tests can prevent athlete deaths at a young age, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan said:
"Cardiovascular diseases with familial forms can be predicted in advance and precautions can be taken before the symptoms begin. Especially professional athletes can learn whether they are predisposed to any disease with genetic tests that they can have done only once in their lives.
Precautions can be taken in suspicious cases
If you remember, the Cameroonian soccer player Vivien Foe in 2003, Muamba of Bolton Wanderers in 2012 or Matt Campell who lost his life in the London Marathon last year are tragic examples. There are more, especially in our country, many cases of sudden death that cannot be recorded unfortunately catch young athletes. At this point, we can perform these analyzes in professional athletes and take precautions at least in suspicious cases. Genetic tests can be carried out through cooperation projects with both our universities and diagnostic centers and we can prevent more possible incidents."