Every couple of  months an 
incident in the sporting world 
triggers a passionate pub-
lic debate. Members of  the 
public are quick to form and 
express their opinion. Often 
the area of  discussion is be-
yond the scope of  expertise 
of  the person contributing 
to the debate; however this 
does not deter them from 
doing so with gusto. The 
media often get involved in 

these debates and seek out anyone who will give them a 
dial-a-quote on the incident. The most recent example which 
springs to mind is the discussion about `Wayne Rooney’s 
metatarsal´. Soon after his injury everyone from the manag-
ing director of  a clothing outlet to a shoe shiner at the airport 
became an expert about `metatarsals´ and had an opinion 
about whether or not Rooney would make it to the World Cup. 
Most often the opinions of  the public in these specialist ar-
eas are shaped by the media, be it coaching strategies or 
medical problems. When covering one of  these topics a re-
sponsible media reporter seeks out authoritative people with 
expertise in the area who are able to give an evidence-based 
opinion. The less responsible media seek out anyone for a 
`dial-a-quote´; the result – unclear or misinformation which 
does little to educate the public. 

A relatively recent trend which compounds the problem of  
perpetuating myths and unclear information  is the growth of  
blogs, or discussion sites on the Internet. The ready access 
to blog sites makes anyone who chooses an instant self-
proclaimed expert. One only has to read the rugby websites 
to see the strong opinions expressed by some bloggers about 
coaching style, player fatigue and treatment of  injuries. While 
the public debates on these sites are sometimes informative 
and amusing it is also the platform for the expression of  
radical views. It seems to be that views which are expressed 
loudly and frequently, shift from being radical views and 
assume a more central stage. 

Where is all this leading? The point I am trying to make 
is that as a health professional, one shares a growing 
responsibility to get factual, evidenced-based and practical 

advice into circulation so that the end users, most often 
the public, have access to it. When a pseudo-scientist says 
that eating a certain supplement on a daily basis will make 
muscles grow faster than anabolic steroids, challenge the 
statement! When a `wannabe sports physician´ makes a 
public statement about player X being able to play a match 
with a broken bone, challenge it! The public is hungry for 
factual information on matters in which members of  the 
South African Sports Medicine Association are experts. Use 
whatever platform you can to get the information out to the 
public. Make sure the information is accurate and practical. 
Only then will the public be well informed. 

This edition of  the Journal has two original research 
papers, one review and one short communication. The first 
study, by Tanja Oosthuyse and Andrew Bosch, examined the 
effects of  various stages of  the menstrual cycle on ventilatory 
responses during submaximal exercise. They showed that 
there was indeed a relationship between ovarian hormone 
concentration and ventilatory responses. The authors made 
the point that these findings have a practical relevance for 
research design. The next study by Justin Durandt and 
colleagues profiled the top under-16 and under-18 rugby 
players in the country. While there were some logical and 
expected differences between groups and playing positions 
for body composition and measurements of  fitness, it was 
surprising to note that sprinting speed was similar between the 
under-16 and under-18 players. The data from this study can 
be used for comparative purposes, or for talent identification 
in the various playing positions.  The review study by Andrew 
McKune examined the recent research on asthma, airway 
hyper-responsiveness and airway inflammatory responses 
in athletes. This is a comprehensive review and provides an 
excellent update.  The short communication by Adrian Kilian 
and Richard Stretch reported on the number of  medical 
cases for spectators at the 2003 Cricket World cup, including 
the opening ceremony. The data in this paper are useful 
for administrators and medical support staff  involved in the 
planning of  future sports events.  

I hope you enjoy this second 2006 edition of  the South 
African Journal of  Sports Medicine!

Mike Lambert
Editor-in-Chief

Get the message out!

SAJSM  voL 18  No.2  2006                                                                                                                        29

editoriAL

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