Against Genetic Tests for Athletic Talent: The Primacy of the Phenotype

Abstract

New insights into the genetics of sport performance lead to new areas of application. One area is the use of genetic tests to identify athletic talent. Athletic performances involve a high number of complex phenotypical traits. Based on the ACCE model (review of analytic and clinical validity, clinical utility, and ethical, legal and social implications) a critique is offered of the lack of validity and predictive power of genetic tests for talent. Based on the ideal of children's right to an open future a moral argument is given against such tests on children and young athletes. A possible role of genetic tests in sport is proposed in terms of identifying predisposition for injury. If meeting ACCE requirements such tests could improve individualized injury prevention and increase athlete health. More generally, limitations of science are discussed in the identification of talent and in the understanding of complex human performance phenotypes. An alternative approach to talent identification is proposed in terms of ethically sensitive, systematic and evidence-based holistic observation over time of relevant phenotypical traits by experienced observers. Talent identification in sport should be based on the primacy of the phenotype. Key points Genetic tests for athletic talent have insufficient scientific basis and low predictive power and challenge the ethical ideal of children's right to an open future.  A possible role for genetic tests in sport is identifying predisposition for injury.  In talent identification the superior approach seems to be ethically sensitive, systematic and evidence-based holistic observation over time of relevant phenotypical traits by experienced observers.

Ethics, Genetic Technologies and Equine Sports: The Prospect of Regulation of a Modified Therapeutic Use Exemption Policy

“…International organisations overseeing breeding and racing of Thoroughbred racehorses have been hesitant to promote this use of genetic testing (EFTBA 2016), based on the validity of claims to genetic precursors of superior athletic performance (EFTBA 2016). Similar arguments are made in relation to humans for athletic aptitude (Roth (2012), Loland 2015, Webborn et al 2015, Jacob et al 2018. In equine sport, examples are given of a Melbourne Cup (long distance) winner whom it is reputed would, on the basis of genetic testing, be identified as suitable for sprinting, and of 'one of the best (sprinting) stallions in the world .…”

“…Testing equine embryos for heritable disease involves flushing embryos out of the mare's uterus, biopsying embryos in-vitro, and testing the embryonic cells thus obtained for genetic disease (Choi et al 2010, 2015, Guignot et al 2015. Only those embryos that are not carrying abnormal genes coding for the disease of concern are selected for transfer back into a mare, to develop to term.…”

Joseph Baker & Nick Wattie – new insights into the concept of innate talent in sport

“…One of the concerns with the genetic studies noted above is that the work in this area is still emerging and considerable replication and extension is required before these findings will have the robust validity necessary to make conclusions about their importance. While these areas of research are promising, genetic researchers warn against their use in talent identification settings -at least given our current understanding (see Loland, 2015;Vlahovich, Fricker, Brown, & Hughes, 2017;Webborn et al, 2015). However, it is important to note this does not mean we have sufficient evidence to dismiss the concept CISS 3 (2018) May 2018 I Article 006 I 8 the continuum conceptualization of innate talent implies that there is likely an acceptable range of values for specific characteristic and/or ability, and that ranges along continuums are outside the realistic threshold to be considered 'talented' in a specific domain.…”

Sport: a scientific experiment?

“…Popular interpretations of the possibilities of genetic insights provide other examples. Sometimes one gets the impression that the existence (or non-existence) of a particular genetic set-up is the critical variable explaining and predicting athletic performance (Loland 2015a). Although a test can provide precise genetic information, this is nothing but one among an almost infinite number of factors involved in human performance.…”