Roland Garros' Zombie Heat Apocalypse / The Death of the Diversified Elite Athlete / World Athletics Raises the Performance Bar

Get ad-free listening and exclusive shows by becoming a Supporter of The Real Science of Sport!In our Spotlight this week:The heat wave in Paris is making life very difficult at Roland Garros, with Casper Ruud describing himself as "walking around like a zombie" during his first round match. We explore the physiology of heat regulation in tennis, how safety policies are developed to protect players, explain why heat changes the tactical and technical nature of play, and what can be done to help players without handing out free passes to those less well preparedSean Ingle joined us recently to talk about the Enhanced Games. We share our thoughts as the dust settles, with more reflection on why the premise of trustworthiness was never really delivered, the money that is turning athlete's heads, and Gareth walks back a few things he said in the heat of the momentWe explain the deliberate logic behind World Athletics' new qualification standards, and what it means for athletes without a good agent or a seat at the Diamond League tableRugby and concussion are in the Spotlight again with two research developments. First, a group of researchers is promising a new evidence-backed head impact assessment protocol for women's players. Ross doesn't know exactly what that means, and we discuss what is already known about women's susceptibility to concussion. Then, a new study out of Ireland provides the first published evidence that lowering the legal tackle height in rugby has reduced concussion and overall injury rates at community level. Ross, who has been directly involved in the process, explains what we now know, what still needs work, and why a 20% drop, scaled across tens of thousands of players, is a genuinely meaningful public health winCan an athlete still compete professionally in multiple sports at the highest level? A great question from listener Robert to our Discourse community (another reason to join our supporters club for more!) sparks a wide-ranging conversation, from Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders to Rebecca Romero and Elise Perry — and why early specialisation has made the whole idea increasingly impossibleForbes has released its top 10 highest-paid athletes of 2026. Ross and Gareth play a guessing game, reflect on what the list says about the business of sport, money and sex, and note that no woman made the top 50. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.