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08.07.2026

"The organisation of medical and performance departments in European elite football teams"

Benedict Gondwe,Monika Frenger, & Tim Meyer

Elite football clubs rely heavily on medical and performance units to optimise players’ health care and performance. Despite their growing importance, little is known about how these departments are structured and managed. This study investigates the organisational structure and operational processes within medical and performance departments in elite European football clubs. An online survey was distributed to 193 professional football clubs in 29 European countries, with 66 complete responses (34% response rate). Descriptive quantitative analyses and descriptive analyses of open-ended items explored leadership models, communication, data management, and return-to-play (RTP) procedures. Organisational structures varied, with flat (30%), functional (21%), and matrix (23%) models most common. Regional differences in leadership configurations were observed, though not statistically significant between European regions. Most departments reported to a Sports Director (42%) and operated with established communication pathways, with 89% agreeing that information was effectively transferred. Data were primarily stored centrally within the medical department or the club. Return-to-play practices almost exclusively followed a phased model, with physiotherapists central across all stages. Team doctors were heavily involved in early stages but less so during return to performance, where sport scientists and rehab coaches became more prominent reflecting current multidisciplinary RTP frameworks. High levels of external engagement (91%) and research involvement (62%) highlight a growing emphasis on evidence-based practice. These findings describe substantial structural heterogeneity and increasing professionalisation of medical and performance departments in European elite football. Regional variability and differences in leadership, data management, and decision-making processes warrant further investigation rather than direct comparison.

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31.05.2026

"Influence of Chronotype on Cycling Performance in Simulated 20-km Time Trials—A Pilot Study"

Sabrina Forster, Sascha Schwindling, Chris Abbiss, Fabienne Döringer, Andreas Klütsch, Anne Hecksteden, Tim Meyer

The chronotype (CT) refers to an individual's diurnal preference towards morningness (M) or eveningness (E). The aim of this study was to determine the influence of chronotype on 20-km cycling performance throughout the day. Seventy-six competitive male cyclists and triathletes completed the Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire to determine chronotype. Only participants categorised as ‘definite’ M- (n = 10) and E-types (n = 7) were included in the study. In a randomised order and separated by 2–7 days, participants performed four self-paced 20-km cycling time trials at four different times of the day (06:00 h, 12:00 h, 18:00 h, 22:00 h). Mental readiness was assessed before each trial. Performance across all participants was significantly better in the evening compared to the morning (change: 2.1% ± 3.8%; p = 0.008). Related to individual's mean performance E-types performed significantly better in the evening compared to the morning (p = 0.02). Specifically, athletes were 40 s faster at 18:00 h compared to 06:00 h. Mental readiness in E-type athletes was significantly lower at 06:00 h compared to all other times (p < 0.04). The present study indicates that E-type athletes perform better later in the day. This might be important for the scheduling of training times and the preparation for competition, especially in the morning.

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24.04.2026

"Epidemiology of head injuries among football and rugby players — A systematic review with meta-analysis"

Giulia Gorgoni, Yusentha Balakrishna, Robert Lozano, Jake Popperwell, Lovemore Kunorozva, Florian Beaudouin, James Brown, Tim Meyer

This review primarily aimed to compare the incidence rate of head injuries, and of sport-related concussions only, between football and rugby players, according to sex, age, level of participation, and setting. A secondary aim was to examine within-sport differences in incidence rates, considering the same independent variables. Three electronic databases (EBSCOhost, Web of Science, PubMed) were searched for studies published between 2001 and August 2025. Studies reporting the incidence of head injuries and/or sport-related concussions per 1000 h in players aged 12 years and older, were included. Four authors independently evaluated the studies' eligibility and quality. Data on head injuries and sport-related concussions were pooled in two meta-analyses. The search yielded 6848 results, with 43 rugby and 26 football studies included. Overall, rugby players showed significantly higher incidence rates than football players for sport-related concussions (6.8 vs. 0.3; p < 0.001), a finding consistent across subgroups (sex, age, and level of participation). Only sport-related concussion training incidence rates were not significantly different between sports (0.2 vs. 0.1). The sole significant difference in incidence rate ratios of sport-related concussions, within sports, was the match/training ratio: rugby (47; 95% confidence interval: 18–123) and football (10; 95% confidence interval: 8–13). A considerably higher rate of head injuries and sport-related concussions in rugby compared to football has been shown overall and for all investigated subgroups of the sports. This difference is most likely due to the different injury mechanisms and frequency of contact events between the two sports.

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