Sports

Federal funding linked to more medals for Canadian Olympians – but less participation in grassroots sport: Study

Christopher.Sorensen — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 17:19:55 +0000

Federal funding linked to more medals for Canadian Olympians – but less participation in grassroots sport: Study

Christopher.Sorensen Tue, 07/09/2024 - 13:19

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Canadian federal funding in sport is associated with more medals for Olympians like Andre DeGrasse, gold medalist in the men's 200-metre sprint at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and reduced participation in sport among recreational athletes, according to U of T researchers (photo by Ina Fassbender/AFP/Getty Images)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

Breaking Research

Centre for Sport Policy Studies

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Olympics

Research & Innovation

Sports

Subheadline

A research report from the Faculty of Kinesiology & Public Education examines the relationship between federal funding, Olympic success and participation in sports

Federal funding for sport is associated with Canadian athletes winning more Olympic medals – but this comes at the cost of reduced participation in grassroots recreational and competitive sport.

That’s according to a report from the Centre for Sport Policy Studies at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education that delves into the relationship between high-performance sport and grassroot participation.

The research calls into question the notion that funding of high-performance sport – and resulting success of elite athletes on the world stage – has a “trickle-down” effect by inspiring people to participate in sport and physical activity.

“We do not dispute that excellent performances by national athletes are inspirational. However, the effect of inspiration on increasing participation is far less clear,” says Peter Donnelly, a professor emeritus of sport policy and politics at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education, who co-authored the report with Bruce Kidd, professor emeritus of sport and public policy and former Olympian.

The researchers argue that inspiration is not enough to break down the barriers that prevent many young people from participating in sport. “Family income, gender/sexuality, (dis)ability, geographical location and other factors can all, individually and in combination, have an enabling or a constraining effect on the possibilities of participating in organized sports,” says Kidd.

The researchers used data on sport participation, Sport Canada’s annual budgets and statistics on Olympics medals won by Canadian athletes since 1988 to examine the relationships between participation in sports, funding and Olympic successes.

“Prior to 1970, the federal government tried to invest in high-performance sport, broadly based participation and physical education in equal measure, and made multi-year shared-cost grants to the provinces and territories to assist with broad-based participation,” says Kidd. “In 1970, it established Sport Canada with a high-performance mandate and unilaterally withdrew from its support of provincial and territorial programs.”

This led to an ongoing decline in participation in organized, competitive sport among Canadians over 15 years of age – from 44 per cent in 1990 to around 27 per cent today.

While there are other factors that can help to explain this decline, including an aging population and rising costs of participation, the researchers point to shifting federal priorities and the structure of Canadian sport policy as the reasons for increased investments in international sport success and decreased investments in grassroots participation.

“Data in other countries show a similar pattern – more money means more medals, and medals cost a lot,” says Donnelly.

In the 16 years since the Beijing 2008 Olympics, the Sport Canada budget has more than doubled, now sitting at more than a quarter of a billion dollars each year, according to the report.

”As other countries in the ‘sporting arms race’ increase their budgets and expectations, it will cost more and more money just to stay in the same place in the Olympic medal table,” says Donnelly.

“This has the potential to distort a national sport system in two ways: First, most funding is directed to those sports where national sport leaders see the greatest chance of being able to win medals; and second, the vast majority of government funding for sport tends to go to high-performance sport.”

The researchers offer the following solutions in their report:

Survey national, provincial and territorial sport organizations to determine their capacity to incorporate new participants.
Develop an ‘open house’ strategy during and immediately following major Games for the public to try out different sports, with coaches, athletes and – where possible – former Olympians present to talk about their sports.
Target children and youth; low-income individuals; Indigenous, ethnocultural and immigrant communities; and, for certain sports, persons with a disability and older individuals looking for a form of physical activity.
Re-invigorate school physical education programs, intramural and extracurricular sports; engage coalitions of sport organizations in offering free basic skills development programs for those past school age.
Ensure widespread publicity for the participation initiatives.
Develop a clear subsequent use policy for major Games facilities that includes grassroots participation, similar to the Toronto Pan Am Sports Centre, jointly managed by the City of Toronto and U of T.
Develop an evaluation strategy to determine the success of participation initiatives introduced in association with major Games.

The researchers say they are encouraged by the recent announcement by Carla Qualtrough, Canada’s minister of sport and physical activity, that she will review the Canadian sport system and recommend options for reform.

“People may be inspired by the achievements of high-performance athletes,” says Donnelly. “However, if the material and structural conditions of participation are the same after the Games as they were before, then all the claims of a legacy of increased participation become empty promises.”

Warming up: U of T researcher explores the impact of climate change on sports

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 01 May 2024 15:22:38 +0000

Warming up: U of T researcher explores the impact of climate change on sports

Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 05/01/2024 - 11:22

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(photo by Sebastian Gollnow via Getty Images)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

Our Community

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Sports

Sustainability

Subheadline

In her new book, sport ecologist Madeleine Orr explores how everything from sweltering heat to unpredictable winter weather is affecting sports - and how the sporting world itself is contributing to the changes

In 2019, a world championship marathon in Doha was scheduled at midnight to avoid the blistering sun. That same year, athletes at the Rugby World Cup in Japan waded through knee-high water to reach the pitch after Typhoon Hagibis dropped 240 mm of water over Tokyo – the wettest storm on record in Japan.

From no-snow winters to sweltering summer heat, the sporting world is feeling the effects of climate hazards and a slew of health, business and performance risks are going unaddressed, says sport ecologist Madeleine Orr, an assistant professor in the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE).

(photo by Selena Phillips-Boyle)

In her book Warming up: How Climate Change is Changing Sport, Orr shares stories of athletes, teams and events that have been directly affected by climate hazards, explores the impact of sport on the planet and suggests actions the sport sector can take to adapt.

Writer Jelena Damjanovic recently sat down with Orr – who will be at a book launch at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport on May 9 – to chat about her book, research and how she maintains her optimism in the climate fight.

What drew you to this area of research?

There are many ways to become a sport ecologist. Some enter [the field] through the sport sciences side – kinesiology, physiology, coaching – others begin in natural resource science, environmental studies, hydrology or climatology, and then find their way to sport as the topic.

My training combined a bit of both and I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to study across different faculties when I was in graduate school to learn how to read, interpret and develop climate models, and also how to measure the impacts of different climate hazards like extreme heat, humidity or wildfire on athletes’ health and performance, and the business side of sports.

How is climate change changing sport, directly and indirectly?

I spend about 200 pages of my book answering that question – but if I had to split it into a few buckets, it would be that: extreme heat is impacting athlete health and performance, and the well-being of everybody else around sport, including coaches, referees and fans; drought and floods are creating unstable and sometimes unhealthy playing surfaces in different parts of the world; wildfires are wreaking havoc on air pollution across huge swaths of land even far from the flames; and winters are getting shorter and less predictable due to climate change – so winter sports are suffering.

Climate change is important to think about in the context of sport because every single sport is dependent on clean air, clean water and a safe place to play. When climate hazards crop up, they can lead to cancelations, delays, damages, health issues and, in worst-case-scenarios, death for athletes.

Is sport itself contributing negatively to the environment?

Sport – especially at the elite and professional levels – is organized geographically and based on inter-regional and international travel. The business model of sport is based on tourism: the teams and events want people to come in from out of town, or to spend money at restaurants and other hospitality offerings near the venue. So, when lots of people – teams, referees, media and fans – move around, it creates a pretty significant carbon footprint.

And in another sense, sport produces a lot of waste. Think of how many sports products are made from carbon fibre, just to name one example. It’s in our hockey sticks, bikes, bats, boats, skis, racquets, nets and the list goes on. It’s a great product because it’s strong and light, but it’s also not recyclable, so once a piece of carbon fibre equipment gets even a tiny crack, it becomes unplayable and in the case of bikes or boats, it has to be retired immediately for safety reasons.

Another example is sports gear. Think of all the clothing and shoes that we buy to support our sport practices – most of it is made from polyester because it wicks sweat. But it’s also made from plastic and is very hard to recycle, even if the product you buy says, “Made from recycled materials.” Polyester can generally be recycled once and then it starts becoming tricky to do it again as the quality of the material degenerates. All this to say, sport produces a lot of stuff that can't be recycled or reused, and that’s a huge source of waste.

How can sport organizations, managers, coaches, athletes and fans mitigate the risks associated with climate change and reduce their own environmental footprint?

That's a huge question, and I spent a lot of pages on this in the book. The first big thing is that we have to put safety first and adopt policies and emergency protocols that keep athletes – and staff, coaches, fans, volunteers – safe when they’re playing sport in unsafe conditions like extreme heat or wildfire smoke. The other piece will be to adapt our facilities and our schedules to avoid the worst of the climate hazards.

Reducing the environmental footprint usually has to do with reducing travel, whether it’s carpooling to practices with other kids on your team or taking public transit to pro sport events when you go to watch. But there are lots of other things individuals and sport organizations can do with regards to reuse and recycling that I discuss in the book as well.

How do you maintain your optimism?

I don’t think we can afford not to change. We just have to. And I’m under no illusion that sport – especially pro and elite sport – is going to be the first mover on this, but this sector does have a huge platform and potential to inspire not only fans who follow, but all of its supply chains. When sport has used that platform in the past, it’s ignited major public conversations about issues like gender equity –think of Billie Jean King or the more recent work of women’s soccer teams. And racial injustice – think the 2020 Black Lives Matter boycotts and before that Colin Kaepernick, and before that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Sport has a rich history of drawing attention to big debates and discussions. And I think we can do that again with climate change.

Finally, how do you respond to people who say to athlete activists to “stay in their lane?”

There are always going to be trolls and haters. I say ignore them. George Monbiot, an environment reporter for The Guardian, once said, “We are hypocrites. Every one of us, almost by definition. Hypocrisy is the gap between your aspirations and your actions.” And that resonates with me. I try to remind athletes or other activists that nobody would pass a purity test on climate action: we’ve all got a carbon footprint and we all have agency to make some choices that are more sustainable, but not all choices – because some are expensive and some are just out of our control. So, let yourself off the hook of being perfect, continue to communicate your concerns to the world and ignore the trolls.

Read the full interview at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Ontario sees 17 per cent decrease in access to youth sports: MLSE, U of T report

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 26 Jan 2024 18:41:36 +0000

Ontario sees 17 per cent decrease in access to youth sports: MLSE, U of T report

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 01/26/2024 - 13:41

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Young people run on a basketball court at MLSE Launchpad, a 42,000 sqaure-foot facility for sport and development in downtown Toronto (photo courtesy of MLSE Launchpad)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

Breaking Research

COVID-19

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Sports

Youth

Subheadline

Annual Change the Game research report cited social isolation and affordability as biggest barriers to youth participation

A new report on the state of youth sports in Ontario found a 17 per cent decrease in access compared to the previous year across various demographic groups, with social isolation and affordability reported as the greatest barriers to participation.

The annual Change the Game research report, created through a partnership between MLSE Foundation and University of Toronto researcher Simon Darnell, also cited gender, racial and household disparities as factors contributing to a lack of access to sports, with 38.5 per cent of six- to 10-year-olds reporting experiencing racism or discrimination in sports.

Overall, 36 per cent of Ontario youth reported not having access to safe places to play sports in 2023. When asked what would improve the quality of youth sports culture, the most frequent response was “an environment where I can make friends.”

“I was more disappointed than surprised by the results,” said Darnell, an associate professor in U of T’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education (KPE) and director of the Centre for Sport Policy Studies (CSPS). “We know that the COVID-19 pandemic forced some youth out of sport altogether and made sport increasingly inaccessible for others who tried to remain. And we knew that getting kids back to sport after they dropped out was going to be challenging.

“We also know that many elements or aspects of social life are increasingly inaccessible in our world today. So, what this points to is the importance of securing accessibility and inclusion as key values and policy priorities in youth sport provision.”

The Change the Game research project was conceived in 2021 as an anonymous online survey of Ontario youth about their experiences with access, engagement and equity issues in sport. The most recent study was the largest to date, with more than 10,000 survey responses – bringing the total number of youth voices collected over three years of research to 25,000.

This year, the project also collaborated with youth sport organizations, including U of T’s BIPOC Varsity Association, Toronto FC Academy, Argos Rowing Club and Ausome Ottawa, which suggested solutions to the barriers expressed by research participants in the first two years of the study.

Victor Adarquah, a PhD student in U of T’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, was the lead research assistant on the project, receiving valuable hands-on experience in applying research to address real-world issues.

“This project was an incredible opportunity to bridge my interest in community and social impact work with research,” said Adarquah. “I found it especially rewarding to experience the fast-paced nature and real-time application of the research findings. The work here doesn't just sit on a shelf, it's actively informing and shaping ongoing initiatives.”

Tanya Mruck, vice-president of community engagement and social impact at MLSE, said the data collected in the Change the Game research study will serve as an important resource that will help guide the investments and community engagement priorities of the MLSE Foundation. Study insights will also be available publicly through an online report, interactive data dashboard and open access dataset.

“What this project demonstrates is that sharing of resources and expertise through collaborations between universities and community or industry partners is both possible and beneficial,” said Darnell. “When we embarked on this collaborative project back in 2021, we wanted to better understand how youth in Ontario engage in sport in order to build a more equitable sport system for them. Along the way, it became the largest youth sports study of its kind in Canada – one which will provide sport and recreation providers, policymakers, funders and future researchers with valuable data and recommendations to change the game for the better.”

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Season 2, Ep. 2: Sport and Reconciliation

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 13 Dec 2023 15:34:53 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Season 2, Ep. 2: Sport and Reconciliation Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 12/13/2023 - 10:34

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Indigenous

Sports

Truth and Reconciliation

In the second episode of Season Two of Joe’s Basketball Diaries, host Joseph Wong sits down with retired Canadian basketball player Michael Linklater to reflect on his career and the impact basketball has had on his life.

A member of Thunderchild First Nation, part of Treaty 6 Territory, Linklater has become an advocate in the Truth and Reconciliation process in Canada and a role model for Indigenous youth.

“I think the first time I got asked to speak in front of an audience, to my peers, I was 16 years old,” says Linklater, who played with the Saskatchewan Rattlers in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (and went out on top after his team won the inaugural championship following his final game of professional basketball in 2019).

“I was tasked with the responsibility of being a role model. It wasn’t something I had asked for, but it was something I took very seriously.”

The conversation between Linklater and Wong – U of T’s vice-president, international and a professor in the department of political science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science – also explores the intersection of sports and reconciliation.

Linklater was named an ambassador for Nike N7, the company’s program to get kids in First Nations communities in North America more involved in sports, and was invited to the White House for the first ever Native American Heritage Month reception in 2022.

“I wouldn’t call it pressure …,” he says, “but there is a responsibility for me in terms of respecting and honouring my ancestors who were here before me and what they went through in order for me to be here today.”

Watch Joe’s Basketball Diaries S2, Ep. 2

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: Season 2 launches with episode on community

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 16:04:13 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: Season 2 launches with episode on community Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 11/29/2023 - 11:04

Mariam Matti

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Diversity and Inclusion

Subheadline

In a new season of the award-winning series, host Joseph Wong and guests take the conversation beyond the court as they discuss topics ranging from sustainability to inclusion

For Joseph Wong, basketball is more than a hobby or a passion – it’s a platform to foster meaningful conversations about community, sustainability, diversity and equity, and reconciliation.

As host of the award-winning series Joe's Basketball Diaries, Wong explores these and other themes with guests from inside and outside the University of Toronto in a new season that begins today.

“The show puts front and centre a lot of key issues we’re grappling with as a society,” says Wong, U of T’s vice-president, international, and a professor in the department of political science and the Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy in the Faculty of Arts & Science.

“These are all big issues that are not exclusive to the world of sport or basketball, but it provides an opportunity for a discussion.”

Season Two begins by following up on a topic explored in the first season – community – and opens with a discussion about the Scarborough Shooting Stars, a local basketball team that won its first championship in the Canadian Elite Basketball League this past summer.

Sam Ibrahim, a business leader, philanthropist and co-founder of the Stars, says during the episode that it was important to name the team after Scarborough to keep its roots authentic.

“Scarborough is not a city anymore, it’s more of a historical region,” says Ibrahim, who is a major supporter of U of T Scarborough. “For us to preserve Scarborough and what it means to us – it was important regardless of what it meant to the Greater Toronto Area.”

Will Lou, writer and co-host of the Raptors Show podcast, adds that locals understand the social and cultural of importance of Scarborough.

“People always make jokes, but at the end of the day a lot of Toronto’s culture comes from Scarborough,” he says.

Aleer Leek, a player on the Varsity Blues men’s basketball team who grew up in Scarborough, says he saw first-hand how excited the community was about local sporting events, while Fabienne Blizzard, co-founder of the Capital Courts Academy and the Cadette National Team coach, speaks about how sports brought her community together growing up.

Airing biweekly on U of T’s YouTube channel, future episodes of Joe’s Basketball Diaries will delve into the intersection of sports and reconciliation, the significance of sustainability in sports and the complexities that surround transgender athletes. For instance, while much of the mainstream debate on issues of transgender inclusion and sport focuses on elite athletes, Wong says the show is deliberately steering the conversation towards the underlying issues – from the science of sports performance to the sociology of gender and the need for inclusion.

On the topic of sustainability, Wong notes that few sports fans stop to consider the volume of greenhouse gases that are emitted when tens of thousands of people travel to a stadium to watch a big game.

“Sports attract a lot of people – and all the work that goes into putting on a sporting event comes with a carbon price,” he says.

Wong says he puts a lot of thought into his hosting the series, often reading hundreds of pages in preparation for an episode, in an effort to go “beyond the headlines.”

Even so, the series’ success – the first season received more than 1.3 million views on YouTube and won several awards – has surprised Wong. “It’s talked about in the extended Toronto community,” he says.

Guests of the show have included three-time Olympian Miranda Ayim and former Toronto Raptors basketball coach Nick Nurse. In addition, the MLSE Foundation, NBA Canada, Sinai Health Foundation, Raptors for Research, and Canada Basketball have all shared interests in connecting with U of T and potentially engaging in future partnerships, Wong says.

He adds that he’s confident viewers will find the second season of Joe’s Basketball Diaries as compelling as the first – and encourages new viewers to explore older episodes.

“They’re timely, but they’re also timeless.”

Paralympian - and new U of T grad - Stephanie Dixon aims to address athlete maltreatment

Christopher.Sorensen — Fri, 10 Nov 2023 15:02:53 +0000

Paralympian - and new U of T grad - Stephanie Dixon aims to address athlete maltreatment

Christopher.Sorensen Fri, 11/10/2023 - 10:02

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Stephanie Dixon, a member of Canada's Sports Hall of Fame, examined the experiences of athletes who experienced maltreatment in sport – particularly those from marginalized groups (photo by Alex Law)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

Breaking Research

Convocation 2023

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Sports

Subheadline

“My master’s degree was the most challenging and meaningful experience of my life”

Stephanie Dixon was only two years old when her parents signed her up for swimming classes.

She says they believed it was important for her to know, at a young age, what her body was capable of doing.

“My parents knew that I would have challenges in my life – not because of my body, but because of the attitude society would have about my body,” says Dixon, who was born without her right leg and hip, and with a medical condition known as omphalocele.

She was 12 years old when she began competitive swimming, joining Canada's national team two years later. At the age of 16, she won five gold medals at the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney. Since then, she has gone on to win many more medals and set world records, securing a spot in Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame and an appointment to the Order of Canada.

Following the 2020 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, where she served as Canada’s chef de mission, Dixon embarked on a different kind of challenge: pursuing a master’s degree in the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education (KPE) at the University of Toronto. She graduated this week alongside more than 5,500 students during U of T’s fall convocation.

“I had been an athlete and ambassador in sport for 20 years, and upon reflecting on my own experience and those of my teammates, I felt that it was deeply important to learn more about athlete safety and well-being,” Dixon says. “I wanted my contributions in sport to be centred around wellbeing, inclusion and equity.”

With Professor Gretchen Kerr, dean of KPE, as her supervisor, Dixon studied the experiences of athletes who experienced maltreatment in sport and engaged in a reporting process – particularly athletes from marginalized groups.

“Athletes deserve to have safe and affirming experiences in sport, especially during a reporting process where harm has already occurred,” says Dixon.

Stephanie Dixon celebrates her gold medal win in the women's 100-metre backstroke at the 2008 Paralympic Games (photo by Natalie Behring/Getty Images)

Following media reports about rampant athlete maltreatment in Canadian sport, the federal government formed the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC), an independent office to investigate athlete complaints. The issue, according to Dixon, is that there continues to be little to no research on reporting processes and whether they reduce the threat of athlete maltreatment in sport.

“My research suggests quite the opposite – current reporting processes in fact increase the threat of harm and re-traumatization for athletes,” says Dixon. “In some ways, these processes may be an extension of the harmful culture of disempowerment and control typical of an abusive environment.”

She says further research is needed on athletes’ experiences of trauma and factors that contribute to their healing journeys – and plans to continue working on research projects in those areas.

“My master’s degree was the most challenging and meaningful experience of my life,” says Dixon. “When I look back at my athletic pursuits, I wanted to make my coach, friends and family, and community proud, of course – but my motivation behind swimming was personal.

“My primary motivation in graduate school was to develop the skills, knowledge and practice that would contribute towards equity and affirming experiences, particularly for those who have experienced abuse and who are from equity-denied groups.”

Dixon encourages new graduate students to find as much community and support as possible once they embark on “the transformative experience" of going to grad school – and not to be afraid of getting creative and imaginative in their research projects.

“I had a lot of imposter syndrome moments, and at times felt overwhelmed with feelings of inadequacy,” she says. “My mentors and support system helped me navigate the demands and pressures – both within the program and some that were self-imposed.”

While COVID-19 made it difficult to connect in-person with fellow students and faculty members, she says she is grateful for all the adaptations and hybrid options that allowed her and other KPE students to continue their studies safely during a challenging time.

The U of T swim team was an important part of Dixon’s network. She swam with them during her last two years of high school – and then moved across to live in British Columbia and the Yukon for 20 years.

“Coming back to U of T for graduate school and reconnecting with some very dear friends and swimming in the varsity pool again has been incredibly meaningful.”

Could psychedelics be used to help manage athletes' mental health?

Christopher.Sorensen — Mon, 21 Aug 2023 18:43:24 +0000

Could psychedelics be used to help manage athletes' mental health?

Christopher.Sorensen Mon, 08/21/2023 - 14:43

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(photo by Peartree Photography/Getty Images)

Jelena Damjanovic

Topic

Our Community

Sinai Health

Temerty Faculty of Medicine

Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Mental Health

Sports

Subheadline

David Lawrence, who works with the Toronto Blue Jays, says he's always on the lookout for emerging research in the field

Why do people who take DMT, a powerful psychedelic drug, feel a strong sense of familiarity about places, things or entities that are not a part of waking life?

David Lawrence, a medical director at the David L. MacIntosh Clinic at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education and assistant professor in the department of community and family medicine in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, sought to shed light on the puzzling phenomenon in a recent study published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.

It found the sense of familiarity was not linked to prior psychedelic use.

David Lawrence (supplied image)

The assistant medical director at the Dovigi Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Clinic at Mount Sinai Hospital and lead primary care physician for the Toronto Blue Jays, Lawrence says the study is just one element of his broader research interest into using psychedelics to treat mental health conditions experienced by athletes.

“This particular study focuses on one subjective feature of the DMT experience, but the bigger picture is that psychedelics have shown great promise in managing mental health conditions for which athletes are at particular risk,” he says.

KPE writer Jelena Damjanovic recently caught up with Lawrence to find out more about the current research into psychedelics and mental health and why he thinks athletes could be uniquely positioned to benefit from it.

How did your interest in psychedelics in the service of athlete mental health come about?

Over the years, I've had the privilege of working closely with numerous athletes who grapple with various mental health challenges. For them, the stakes are high. Their mental well-being directly affects not only their quality of life but also their performance, resilience and overall career trajectories.

In my goal to provide the most effective care, I've always been on the lookout for emerging research within the field of mental health.

The resurgence of academic and clinical interest into the therapeutic potential of psychedelics sparked my interest for any generalizability to my patient population. There are concrete clinical trials and reputable studies suggesting that substances like psilocybin, which is the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, LSD or MDMA – in conjunction with psychotherapy – might hold promise in treating a range of mental health disorders, from depression and PTSD to anxiety.

This burgeoning field of research sparked a myriad of questions for me. Could psychedelics provide a therapeutic avenue that was previously unexplored for athletes? Could they help in addressing the unique mental strains athletes face? And, more broadly, how could they be safely integrated into a comprehensive mental health management strategy?

Are there any unique considerations in this area of research?

Firstly, it's paramount to understand the legal and research landscape surrounding psychedelics. As of now, many of these substances remain illegal in numerous jurisdictions. Furthermore, an essential aspect of any potential psychedelic therapy is the environment – both physical and mental – in which these substances are administered, known as the “set and setting.” Current research protocols emphasize the importance of a controlled setting, typically facilitated by skilled professionals who can guide the experience, particularly for larger doses. Moreover, post-session integration, where individuals process and make sense of their experiences, is crucial to achieve lasting positive outcomes.

How prevalent are mental health disorders among athletes?

There are various estimates. However, a recent meta-analysis suggests the prevalence of mental health symptoms and conditions ranges from 20 to 35 per cent in elite athletic populations, which is significant.

What kinds of stressors are athletes commonly exposed to?

There a number of recognized unique stressors encountered by athletic populations, including: performance and personal issues such as injuries, finances and career transitions; leadership and personnel issues such as spectators, media, governing bodies, coaches and support staff; logistic and environmental issues such as travel, selection, accommodation and physical safety; and cultural and team issues such as teammates behaviour, goals, cultural norms and team support.

What role can psychedelics play in the management of mental health disorders for which athletes are at particular risk?

Athletes often grapple with disorders like depression and anxiety – pressures that can be amplified by the unique demands of their profession. In some sports, notably, there's a prevalence of disordered eating patterns. These conditions are very challenging to manage. Intriguingly, there are preliminary reports suggesting that psilocybin may hold promise in the treatment of disordered eating conditions like anorexia.

Additionally, there are some research groups exploring the use of certain psychedelics like DMT for the treatment of acquired brain injury. In sport medicine and at the David L. MacIntosh Clinic, we pride ourselves on being leaders in the management of concussion, which is a form of brain injury. Most concussions resolve over a period of weeks. However, a proportion of individuals experience a prolonged and protracted recovery – often complicated by mood and other mental health symptoms. Addressing these persistent post-concussion symptoms remains challenging, presenting a possible avenue for future studies involving psychedelics.

What also intrigues me about psychedelics is their purported ability to foster deep introspection, cognitive flexibility, and lasting shifts in perception and beliefs – qualities that could be profoundly beneficial for athletes navigating the immense pressures and existential questions often associated with their careers.

Varsity Blues goalie Jett Alexander makes his NHL debut: Toronto Star

mattimar — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 15:56:59 +0000

Varsity Blues goalie Jett Alexander makes his NHL debut: Toronto Star

mattimar Mon, 04/10/2023 - 11:56

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Varsity Blues goalie Jett Alexander warms up after being called up by the Toronto Maple Leafs during a game against the Montreal Canadiens (photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)

Mariam Matti

Topic

Our Community

Current Sudents

Faculty of Arts & Science

Hockey

Sports

Varsity Blues

Varsity Blues player Jett Alexander says it was a “dream come true” to make his NHL debut as a Toronto Maple Leafs goalie on Saturday night, the Toronto Star reports.

Alexander, a student in the University of Toronto's Faculty of Arts & Science and goaltender on the Varsity Blues men’s hockey team, was called on to play in the last minute of the Leafs' 7-1 win against the Montreal Canadiens after signing a one-day amateur tryout contract with the Leafs to back up goaltender Ilya Samsonov.

“Being from this market and obviously being a Leafs fan for a very long time, it’s pretty special when you get to put that jersey on and just be out there,” Alexander told the Toronto Star. “Sitting on the bench, just kind of taking it all in, was a dream come true.”

Alexander serves as an emergency backup goalie in the NHL, but was not expecting to be called on at the end of the Leafs game.

“It was a pretty cool way to end the game and something I can have under my belt forever,” he said.

According to the Star, Alexander is keeping the Leafs jersey he wore that night – and likely framing it.

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 6: Women in Sports

Christopher.Sorensen — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 21:21:16 +0000

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 6: Women in Sports Christopher.Sorensen Wed, 02/01/2023 - 16:21

Topic

Our Community

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Diversity and Inclusion

Equity

Joseph Wong

Sports

Undergraduate Students

Varsity Blues

Women

The pressure female athletes, coaches and journalists face in sport – and society at large – is explored in the season finale of Joe’s Basketball Diaries, hosted by Joseph Wong, the University of Toronto’s vice-president, international.

Guests highlight the systemic and structural nature of sexism and racism in sports, and the importance of representation – particularly in leadership.

“You can’t be what you can’t see,” says Tamara Tatham, a two-time Olympian who is the head coach of U of T’s women’s Varsity Blues basketball team.

Women athletes, especially those who are racialized, face expectations of failure and their successes are treated as anomalies, adds Hannah Flores, a U of T undergraduate student.

Other topics discussed include sexist double standards in sports, scrutiny of women’s bodies and behaviour, and the many ways these inequities are compounded for racialized and LGBTQ+ athletes.

This episode features:

Hannah Flores, spoken word artist and U of T undergraduate student
Savanna Hamilton, sideline reporter, Toronto Raptors and Sportsnet
Amreen Kadwa, founder and executive director of Hijabi Ballers
Nicole Kaniki, U of T’s director of diversity, equity and inclusion in research and innovation
Tamara Tatham, two-time Olympian and head coach of the U of T women’s Varsity Blues basketball team

Watch Joe's BasketBall Diaries Ep. 6

Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 4: Community

lanthierj — Wed, 04 Jan 2023 21:56:31 +0000

Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 4: Community lanthierj Wed, 01/04/2023 - 16:56

Topic

City & Culture

Joe's Basketball Diaries

Equal access. Immigration. Connection. Public spaces. These themes are at the centre of the latest episode of Joe’s Basketball Diaries, hosted by Joseph Wong, the University of Toronto’s vice-president, international.

In a wide-ranging conversation in the Hart House gym, athletes, authors, journalists and coaches join Wong to explore the intersection of sport and community, the challenges the city faces around infrastructure and society’s responsibility when it comes to access and resources. They also discuss the Toronto Raptors’ arrival in the NBA in 1995 and the lasting impact of Eastern Commerce Collegiate Institute, the public high school and basketball player pipeline that closed in 2015 and is where many of Wong’s guests developed their love of the game.

“It’s Eastern for life, it’s a community and it goes far beyond basketball,” says Sami Hill, a Team Canada athlete. “It made me who I am a basketball player today, but also as a person.”

This episode features:

Kareem Griffin, executive director, Canletes Basketball
Sami Hill, Team Canada athlete and former Eastern Commerce Saints player
Perry King, journalist and author
Fitriya Mohamed, co-founder of the Muslim Women’s Summer Basketball League
Alex Wong, author, podcast producer and co-host of The Raptors Show with Will Lou

Sports

Federal funding linked to more medals for Canadian Olympians – but less participation in grassroots sport: Study

Warming up: U of T researcher explores the impact of climate change on sports

Read the full interview at the Faculty of Kinesiology & Physical Education

Ontario sees 17 per cent decrease in access to youth sports: MLSE, U of T report

Read more about the 2023 Change the Game report in the Toronto Star

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Season 2, Ep. 2: Sport and Reconciliation

Watch Joe’s Basketball Diaries S2, Ep. 2

Joe’s Basketball Diaries: Season 2 launches with episode on community

Paralympian - and new U of T grad - Stephanie Dixon aims to address athlete maltreatment

Could psychedelics be used to help manage athletes' mental health?

Varsity Blues goalie Jett Alexander makes his NHL debut: Toronto Star

Joe’s Basketball Diaries Episode 6: Women in Sports

Watch Joe's BasketBall Diaries Ep. 6

Joe's Basketball Diaries Episode 4: Community

Watch Joe’s Basketball Diaries Ep. 4