Abstrakt: |
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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |