Technology, a double-edged sword in sports

Data analytics is changing the face of competitive sport today, with its ability to track players’ performance on — and off — the field. Though some say this will improve player performance, others fear that players will be over-coached and lose their natural ability.

Across the world and the sporting domain, from cricket to football, start-ups and enterprises that offer analytics look to cater to this growing demand.

Says Aravind Ramachandran, Co-founder of sports fan management and analytics platform Fantain, “Unlike before, a million things are being tracked in a game now, in the age of technology.”

Apart from heart rate and oxygen saturation (O2 stat), one can measure things like how the ball moves and where, how much power the player applied or the calories he has burnt. Advanced technology is available in the market by way of wearables with GPS trackers that are now used during matches.

These devices let you monitor, real time, the performance and energy level of players. Such information, along with the past data, can be used by the coach to make critical decisions regarding the game.

Helping the coach

Rohit R Narayan, Chief Operating Officer, Protégé Sports Networks, a sports technology company that is into sports management and designs wearables, explains that “Though visually you know if a player is playing well or not, it is difficult for the coach to understand how much he/she has improved.” The devices aid the coach to understand his team better.

Technology can also be used to reduce injury by tapping past data. Ranjit Bajaj, Owner of Minerva Punjab that won the last I-League Football match recently, says “During the match it is possible for the coach to see how many calories a player has burnt. It helps us decide if he can be substituted.”

“Though it is the coach’s call, the platform helps him take a better decision,” he adds. “Using technology did give us a competitive edge, even if it is 1 per cent. In a game you need all the advantage you can get,” points out Bajaj. But he agrees that it is a “double-edged sword.”

Data security concerns

There are many in the sporting community who fear that players may lose their natural ability to play with over-coaching.

Ramachandran of Fantain sports said, “With technology like analytics, an athlete is not only playing to his/her strength but also to opponent’s weakness.” Technology could also influence the way a player is chosen to be in a match by way of substitution based on data and that might not always be right.

“We are probably seeing the end of free-flowing batsman and bowlers and that is the reality we live in,” he points out.

But one needs to exercise caution. Privacy will be a challenge as the chances of data leak are high. “The onus falls on the people who collect and manage data,” states Vivek Venugopalan, Chief Technology Officer, Fantain. The team needs to invest in securing the data and ensure that it is not vulnerable to attacks.

COMMENT NOW