 team who covered the most ground, Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool.
The headline read, “Lazy Man United?” But were they lazy? Demotivated? Maybe they were just adjusting to life under Jose Mourinho. Or maybe the answer was a lack of ACE I allele genes in the team.
That is a gene that researchers from the Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Australia found could be a “genetic marker associated with athletic excellence.” After comparing 64 national rowers with a “normal population,” they found rowers had an “excess of the ACE I allele genotype,” which could be an “underlying mechanism relating to a healthier cardiovascular system.”
Basically, those players with the ACE I allele genotype may have been gifted with superior hearts and lungs, which explains why they still look fresh and fast as the final whistle approaches.
It’s no secret that Daniel Sturridge—the Liverpool player who thrills and frustrates in equal measures—is one of the Premier League’s most injury-plagued players. From his hamstring to his ankle to his knee, there’s not many limbs that haven’t been troubled by pain at some point. In fact, according to Fox Sports at the start of the season: “During his 1121 days at Anfield, Sturridge has missed 614 with injury. That means he’s missed 54.8 per cent of all Reds matches since joining the club. The striker has suffered a total of 18 injuries in that time, with his thigh the most troublesome problem—he has injured his thigh on seven different occasions.”
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Could genetic testing have saved his career?
Research published by the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine shows it may have, or soon could change the careers of others, as scientists stated: “The potential to use genetic testing to reduce sports injuries is rapidly increasing.” Specifically, they found: “The COL1A1 gene encodes the alpha chain of type I collagen, the major protein component of all tendons and ligaments.”
Why would it be so important for Klopp to understand this? Because ligaments and tendons perform a key role in the musculoskeletal system—ligaments attach bones to bones and tendons attach muscles to bones. Understanding if they are fit and functioning in Sturridge’s body could prove invaluable when deciding whether to send him onto the pitch for the full 90 minutes or maybe just the second half—and ensure his legs and ligaments remain happy and healthy for an entire season.
Back in 2014 we asked, Can Off-Season Weight Issues Affect a Player’s Performance? This was after the former Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa returned to training a heavier version of his former self after an apparently overly indulgent off-season. But was it his fault, or was he genetically doomed to fail if left alone with a biscuit tin?
Studies show it could be the latter since, according to research published by the Institute of Preventive Medicine at Copenhagen University, some people are cursed with the FTO gene, often dubbed the “fat gene.” They have a high sensitivity to saturated dietary fats and are more likely to store them as body fat after they eat them.