Technology in Sport

Paulie Walnuts

I'm doing a college project and want to evaluate the role of technology in sport. I have lots of advantages but very few disadvantages of technology. Can anyone suggest sports that have been damaged by the role of a new technology (e.g. swimming and the new Speddo/NASA designed swimsuit)

metaoblivia

This may not be what you're looking for, but there's been some controversy about slow motion playback in gymnastics. The idea is that judges can go back and replay a routine on videotape to see if a skill was completed, etc. The problem is that any routine in slow motion - or even any routine replayed in real time on camera - the faults are amplified in a way that may not have been seen the first time around, through the naked eye.
Some think this is a good thing, but only if every single routine is then replayed for a second time/in slow motion. Others think that judges should only judge the routine as it is performed on the floor with no video assistance.

Jo73

Yeah totally agree. It's not just about th perfection of movement either with gymnastics I think, it's also about grace and enjoyment of the sport. I find it sad that over the years when gymnasts perorm you no longer have any facial expressions from them as we did previously, this ruins the enjoyment and it's is also a skill on the gymnasts behalf on creative merit I think. Sport in general is bcoming too clever for it's own good!!!

figs86

oscar pistorius and his prosthetics - ''blade runner''

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oscar_Pistorius

golf and technology - apparently advancements in technology are heavily retarded by the PGA as developed clubs could hit the ball too far meaning courses would have to be lengthened, the game would take longer and the game would change as 2 strokes might become one etc
e.g. new golf balls are only allowed travel a set distance with a specific force imparted to ensure they dont travel too far

figs86

well technology damages sport as it takes away from the achievement. but as long as the playing field is even, its ok, they have all experienced the same advantages

but specifically with the oscar pistorius case (he has prosthetic legs) it is unclear whether he has a disadvantage or not

whilst his lower leg cannot generate force in the way a human foot does, the main argument against him was that the legs do not tire in the same fashion human tissue does (they retain energy) and therefore are an unfair advantage others dont have

he was ruled legal to compete for Beijing 2008