In recent years one of the most commonly discussed issues in professional sport, and in particular Association Football, has been the pay of professional athletes. However, much of this literature is largely based on assumptions, speculation or broad financial reports, with little, if any, focus on the potential impact on the athletes’ lives. Therefore, the aim of this research was to examine the role money plays in the relationships within the working lives of professional footballers. Using professional football as a case study, this project examined a number of key areas: the consumption of products by footballers as a demonstration of economic power and wealth in an environment where wages are a taboo subject, the complex nature of contract negotiations and the impact this can have on relationships within their working lives. In addition to these areas, the thesis examined how money is used as punishment for players to try to encourage them to conform to the expected codes of behaviour set by club managers and officials, and ways in which players attempt to break their highly routinised daily life. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 34 male professional footballers and analysed using concepts from the sociology of money. It is argued that image has become an important factor for many professional footballers. Displaying wealth through ‘conspicuous consumption’ was also important in an environment where wages are a secretive subject, as it is suggested that the ‘more you have, the better you are’ and therefore some players even felt that this would impact on the way in which they were valued by the club hierarchy (as well as their teammates within the club). Value was also important through contract negotiations, as the more a player was valued by a club, the greater balance of power they had within the negotiation process. It is argued the negotiation process has become more complex since the introduction of the Premier League, as more people are typically involved. It was also evident that money was a major factor for players when deciding on contracts or having to relocate, which led to feelings of loneliness for some players and their families. Players are heavily regulated and constrained within their lives, one-way players are constrained, by the club officials, is through financial punishment. Players discussed several methods of trying to break the routinisation that such constraints introduce. One of those was gambling. It is argued that some players, due to the technological advances, were able to gamble in a covert manner and keep their gambling losses private, which can impact on the performance, health and wellbeing of the players. Overall the results of this study highlight the increasing monetisation of social relationships within professional football and that such trends are significantly impacting on the relationships within the working lives of professional footballers.

A career as a professional footballer has long been regarded as a highly sought after occupation for many young males within the UK and, against this backdrop, since the 1970s increasing attention has come to be placed on the way young players are identified and developed within professional clubs. Particular concern has been expressed over the number of players who, having been developed by professional clubs, fail to secure a professional contract, and the ways in which clubs should help young players safeguard their futures through alternative career training. There, have, however, been very few studies that have analyzed the education and welfare provisions that are offered within professional football Academies and Centres of Excellence, and fewer still that have done this from a sociological perspective. By drawing upon the figurational sociology of Norbert Elias, concepts derived from symbolic interactionism, and existing work in the sociology of youth, the objective of this study is to examine the realities of young players' day-to-day working-lives, the experiences they have of the educational programmes they follow, and the welfare-related matters that arise within present-day Academies and CoE. Using data generated by self-completion questionnaires and focus groups with 303 players in 21 Academies and CoE in England and Wales, the findings of the study suggest that players continue to be socialized into a largely anti-academic culture that has traditionally underpinned the world of professional football, and in which the demonstration of a 'good attitude' and commitment to the more central members of players' interdependencies (especially coaches and managers) dominated all other concerns. Indeed, it was also clear that the deep-seated values players held in relation to the professional game as part of their individual and group habituses were shaped by the figurations into which they were born and had been developed during the more impressionable phases of childhood and youth. Players' welfare needs were significantly compromised by the strong degree of suspicion and obvious degree of mistrust that characterized their relationship with club management, which emanated from players' fears that confidential matters would always 'get back' to others inside the club. This was exacerbated, in almost all cases, by players' observations that they were treated as if they were 'bottom of the club' and whose welfare needs were not generally well understood by those working within Academies and CoE.

Magister Artium (Sport, Recreation and Exercise Science) - MA(SRES) / Women’s football is one of the fastest growing sports around the world, however, equity is lacking as women have to negotiate for training equipment, financial sponsorship, media coverage and safe transportation. The study represents an investigation of the lived experiences of female footballers and administrators in the Western Cape: A critical perspective of gender equity. The study further assessed the lack of development and support for women involved in football which displays the inequalities experienced by females within the football arena. The proposed study investigated female footballers’ lived experiences with regard to gender equity in football in the Western Cape. The study used a phenomenological approach which focused specifically on the lived experiences of humans with regards to a particular phenomenon which in this study is gender equity.

This research tested the relationship between Emotional Intelligence (EI) and mood states prior to performance, using two culturally diverse populations and using a mixed methodology. The objective was to explore whether there were cultural differences between the two samples thereafter exploring whether EI can be enhanced in the two cultures, using a psychological skills intervention. Phase 1 and 2 used the BRUMS-32 (Terry et al., 1999), and the EIS (Schutte et al., 1998) to investigate mood states and EI among a sample of UK wheelchair basketball players (phase 1: n = 51), and Ghanaian footballers (phase 2: n = 70). Five semi-structured interviews were also completed in phase 1. In phase 3 interventions (goal-setting, self-talk, relaxation and daily diaries) were used to enhance EI in a sample of UK wheelchair basketball players (n = 6) and Ghanaian football players (n = 8). Self-talk questionnaires, daily diaries, EIS and structured interviews were used to collect data during the intervention. Phase 1 MANOVA results showed that EI was related to mood states associated with optimal and dysfunctional performance (Wilks' Lambda 8.7 = .01, F = 74.76, P = .00, Partial Eta2 = .99) and indicated that optimism and utilisation of emotions contributed significantly to variation in mood by performance. Four key themes emerged from semi-structured interviews: antecedents of emotions; emotion and performance; emotional intelligence; and coping with emotions. Results suggested that EI correlated with performance. Phase 2, MANOVA results showed that EI was related to mood states associated with optimal and dysfunctional performance (Wilks' Lambda 8.40 = .50, F = 7.82, P < .00, Partial Eta2 = .50) and indicated that emotion regulation and appraisal of other‟s emotions contributed significantly to variations in mood by performance. When seen collectively, results of phase 1 and 2 indicate that there were cultural differences between the two populations.Phase 3 indicated that in both populations EI could be enhanced for some of the participants. Culture could be an explanation for the intervention only partially working. The EI theory or the EIS may only work in the culture it was developed in as it did not seem to detect changes in the Ghanaian sample.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T19:30:34Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Enny Vieira Moraes.pdf: 12555220 bytes, checksum: 168019b25eeea6dcf4e144d3853ec8c3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-06-04 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / The thesis Soccer and gender in Bahia: permanent concerns (1970 - 1990) has the objective of telling and propagading the histories of footballers women in the hinterland of Bahia between the 1970s and 1990s, it aims to break down the silence and invisibility of them, aspects that are very usual in the history of Brazilian women's football. Oral history was the method used in the interviews with women who revealed their everyday sociability, their struggles, in short, their stories in the sport. These stories show that women's football in Bahia was expanding during the 80s. The hypothesis that guided this study was based on the notion that prejudice is a propeller of so many silencies. The testimony of the following women contributed to this research: Maria da Conceicao Araujo, Nara Rúbia Muniz Chaves Pinheiro, Maria Cruz Neide Sampaio, Jorge Sampaio Suely Ribeiro Morbek, Cleyde Regina Araujo, Neumanci Gonçalves Ferreira, Ferreira de Oliveira Ivonete Solange Santos and Bastos. Based on the investigations, this study discloses the stories of women players allowing to follow the path took by the women's football in Bahia. The history starts with the incipient babas in Jequié in the 70s until his alleged consolidation in the 80s, well represented by players from Feira de Santana, it also includes a part of the history of the Brazilian Women's Soccer team during the 90s, based on the interview of Solange S. Bastos. Based on contributions from studies in the areas of History, History of Physical Education and Gender has been possible to articulate stories of footballer women with issues such as prejudice, lack of infrastructure and credibility, issues that marked the history of the sport in the country. Soccer has been considered a space that celebrates virility and strength, male attributes, in such that it took lots of dedication and courage for women to get in this well kept places, places where female participation "should" allowed only in the stands. However, with the boldness and strength, they invade the lawns and keep on pushing to make soccer, in fact, a plural and democratic environment that represents a national history / A tese Futebol e gênero na Bahia: inquietações permanentes (1970 - 1990) teve como objetivo relatar e socializar histórias de mulheres futebolistas no interior baiano no período em destaque, buscando quebrar a invisibilidade e o silenciamento, aspectos tão presentes na história do futebol feminino brasileiro. Para a realização do estudo, a História Oral foi o método que viabilizou a concretização de entrevistas com mulheres que revelaram seu cotidiano, sociabilidades, suas lutas, enfim suas histórias no esporte, mostrando um futebol feminino baiano em expansão durante a década de 80. A hipótese que norteou esse trabalho se baseou no preconceito como aspecto basilar propulsor de tantos silenciamentos. Assim, contribuíram com seus depoimentos para essa pesquisa: Maria da Conceição Araújo, Nara Rúbia Muniz Chaves Pinheiro, Maria Neide Cruz Sampaio, Jorge Sampaio, Suely Morbek Ribeiro, Cleyde Regina Araújo, Neumanci Ferreira Gonçalves, Ivonete Ferreira de Oliveira e Solange Santos Bastos. Democratizar histórias de mulheres futebolistas justificou esse estudo que, com base nas investigações, tornou possível acompanhar o percurso percorrido pelo futebol feminino na Bahia, desde os incipientes babas em Jequié nos anos 70, até sua pretensa consolidação na década de 80, bem representado pelas jogadoras feirenses, como contar uma parte da história da Seleção Brasileira Feminina de Futebol durante os anos 90, a partir da entrevista com Solange S. Bastos, a Soro da Seleção. Partindo de contribuições dos estudos nas Áreas da História, História da Educação Física e Gênero, foi possível articular histórias de mulheres do futebol com questões como o preconceito, falta de estrutura e credibilidade que marcaram a história desse esporte no país. Tido como espaço que celebra a virilidade e força, atributos considerados masculinos, foi preciso dedicação e ousadia para a mulher se inserir nesse espaço reservado, no qual a participação feminina deveria se estabelecer apenas nas arquibancadas. No entanto, com a ousadia e resistência elas invadiram os gramados e continuam exercendo tensões para que o futebol, de fato, seja realmente um ambiente plural e democrático e que represente uma história nacional

Superstitious thoughts or behaviours have been demonstrated to occur frequently and persistently among students and athletes. One major limitation in the superstition in sports literature is that researchers attempt to measure only negative superstitious beliefs; however, to date, little is known about types of superstitions, how superstitions are developed and maintained, their psychological functions and malfunctions, or their behavioural consequences. Study 1 demonstrates the widespread prevalence of superstitions within the present population of undergraduate student athletes in British and Ghanaian universities, and explores several specific superstitions that appear to be particularly common. There were significant main effects of gender and nationality on both positive and negative superstitious beliefs. British student athletes tended to endorse both types of superstition to a greater extent than Ghanaian student athletes, whereas Ghanaian student athletes engaged in superstitious behaviour more than British student athletes. In Study 2, the results suggested that people may enact their positive superstitious beliefs and religion as coping mechanisms and as secondary control strategies to offer them the comfort of feeling in control under conditions of impending failure. Results from the two qualitative studies (Studies 3 and 4) demonstrated some support for elite footballers’ engaging in rituals which serve a functional outcome. These findings suggest that superstitious and religious behaviour can protect against debilitating interpretations of anxiety by increasing self-confidence or allowing athletes to perceive symptoms as controllable and facilitative. Interestingly, athletes who have acquired their superstition by means of conformity note that they experienced cognitive dissonance. Dissonance emerges when two beliefs are inconsistent. Apparent contraction between an athlete’s personal superstitious behaviour and their teams’ superstitious behaviour may give rise to self-doubt, which can erode the athlete’s confidence and create other negative psychological consequences to team process. Study 5 provided empirical evidence for the notion that activation of personal superstition improved performance more than conforming to other superstitions, and that performance was better than that of athletes in the control group. In this regard, the reported findings uniquely contribute to our understanding of superstitions and their effects on psychological as well as behavioural consequences. The present findings are in line with previous research on the psychological functional benefits of superstition. At the same time, these findings suggest fresh interrogations for future research on the subject of superstitions. Possible applications to the student athletes and professional athletes are discussed.

Many community development initiatives place great emphasis on the need for the a participatory approach towards development. Here the beneficiaries are expected to engage in dialogue and collective action in order to be empowered and consequently developed. This study therefore seeks to explore the elements of dialogue and collective action in a crime prevention and health promotion intervention that was administered by a non-governmental organisation called Footballers for Life (F4L) at the Heidelberg Correctional Centre (Johannesburg, South Africa) from March to August 2011 amongst a group of 40 male offenders. Premised on the idea that true human development should be participatory and therefore dialogical, this study used Participatory Communication to explore dialogue for collective action within the mentioned intervention. Participatory Communication was applied through the use of the Communication for Participatory Development Model (CFPD), which was used as a guide through which dialogue for collective action was explored. Furthermore, F4L is an organisation that uses retired professional football stars who, acting as role models, offer a unique approach towards effecting behaviour change amongst the communities they work with. Hence in this regard this study used the Social Cognitive Theory to primarily explore the significance of role modelling towards behaviour change in the F4L programme at the Heidelberg Correctional Centre. Taking a qualitative research approach, this study used interviews, focus groups as well as a participant observation schedule to collect the relevant data. This data was analysed through a thematic analysis which was facilitated through the use of a data analysis software package called NVivo. The study reveals how the offenders were excluded from the initial dialogue that took place between F4L and the prison in the recognition of the problems facing the offenders and planning of the intervention. Upon invitation to join the F4L programme the offenders went into it without any sense of ownership or clear understanding of what the programme was about potentially threatening the envisaged purpose of the programme. However, the study also found that the democratic leadership style and genuine efforts of the F4L head Coach (Silver) were able to play a key role in fostering a sense of brotherhood and therefore ownership of the developmental process amongst the offenders leading to the attainment of certain individual as well as social outcomes, i.e. self-reliance, empathy, budgeting skills, collective efficacy as well as communal trust. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Background: Due to the unique demands of the sport, athletes playing football perform a variety of differing training methods to improve physiological performance. These include strength, endurance and sprint training. While the effects of strength and endurance training have been well researched, the effects of repeated-sprint training on blood and muscle variables in well trained males and females are not well known. An understanding of changes to the blood and muscle during and following an exercise bout are important, so to gain an understanding of the type of stress and resulting adaptations that may occur. Also, while a large volume of research in training adaptations has been performed on males; little has been done on females. To date, some research indicates metabolism during moderateintensity exercise may differ between males and females; however, no study has compared repeated-sprint exercise. Therefore, it is unclear as to whether males and females would have a differing physiological response to repeated-sprint training. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a repeated-sprint bout on molecular signalling in muscle and blood measures and heart rate in well-trained footballers. Additionally, we compared running times and sprint decrement (%). Research Design: Eight female senior University football players (Mean ± SD, age, 19 ± 1 y, VO ? 2peak 53.0 ± 5.1 ml·kg-1min-1) and seven male senior University football players (Mean ± SD, age, 19 ± 3 y, VO ? 2peak 59.0 ± 6.6 ml·kg-1min-1) volunteered to participate in this study. Participants performed four bouts of 6 x 30 m maximal sprints spread equally over a 40 min period. Sprint time was measured (at 30 m) for each sprint and sprint decrement was also calculated for all bouts. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle at rest, 15 min following exercise and 2 h into recovery. Venous blood samples were taken at the same time points as the biopsies while capillary blood lactate was measured at rest and 3 min following each sprint bout. Repeated measures ANOVA and Post hoc t-tests were performed to determine significant differences between the two groups (male vs. female) and time points. Findings: Both groups had a significant (P<0.05) increase in blood lactate (mM) after the first bout of repeated sprints, with no differences between females (pre 0.9 ± 0.4 mM – post 10.0 ± 1.6 mM) and males (pre 0.8 ± 0.3 mM – post 10.0 ± 3.5 mM). Blood lactate remained elevated compared to rest (P<0.05) following bouts 2, 3 and 4 for both females (12.0 ± 3.6, 12.0 ± 3.3, 12.2 ± 3.8 mM respectively) and males (11.9 ± 2.9, 11.6 ± 2.3, 11.5 ± 4.0 mM respectively), with no differences between groups or time points (P>0.05). There were no differences (P>0.05) between the female and male athletes in mean heart rate attained at the end of each bout of repeated sprints (187 ± 2 v 190 ± 2 bpm respectively) or during recovery between sprints (140 ± 2 v 130 ± 2 bpm respectively). There were no differences between groups or time points in blood insulin (P>0.05). Fastest 30 m sprint time and mean 30 m sprint time during the repeated-sprint bout was faster for the males than females (4.58 ± 0.12 v 5.26 ± 0.27 s respectively; (P>0.05)). However, there were no differences in running velocity during the sprints between the males and females (165 ± 0.4 % vs. 155 ± 0.05 %; P>0.05) when expressed relative to velocity at VO ? 2peak (vVO ? 2peak). Also, mean % decrement during the repeated-sprint bout was lower in the males then females (4.9 ± 1.3 v 7.1 ± 1.9 % respectively; P<0.05). No changes were observed in total or phosphorylated Akt at any time-point or between genders. However, while total 4E-BP1 was lower, the ratio of total to phosphoryalated 4E-BP1 at rest was greater in males than females (P<0.05). Finally, there was also a significant decrease in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation post-exercise in males (P<0.05), but not females. Conclusions: There were no sex differences in blood lactate or heart rate throughout the repeated-sprint bout. These findings suggest that there were no cardio respiratory or lactate production/clearance differences in the response to a repeated-sprint-training bout between sexes. However, while males were faster than their female counterparts, the average relative speed was similar between sexes, suggesting a similar relative volume of work was performed during the sprint bouts. However, the females did have a greater decrement in sprint performance indicating a greater ability to recover sprint performance in the males. Sex differences in resting total and phosphorylated 4E-BP1 may indicate greater potential for muscle growth in the male athletes during basal conditions. However, differences could be due to factors other than sex, including previous training history. There was a lack of change in plasma insulin or Akt, but, similar to resistance exercise, a significant decrease in post-exercise 4E-BP1 phosphorylation for the males, but not females. The sex differences in the 4E-BP1 phosphorylation response post-exercise could be due to differences in the metabolic disturbance in the muscle during and following maximal sprints. Keywords: blood lactate, heart rate, muscle

Background: Due to the unique demands of the sport, athletes playing football perform a variety of differing training methods to improve physiological performance. These include strength, endurance and sprint training. While the effects of strength and endurance training have been well researched, the effects of repeated-sprint training on blood and muscle variables in well trained males and females are not well known. An understanding of changes to the blood and muscle during and following an exercise bout are important, so to gain an understanding of the type of stress and resulting adaptations that may occur. Also, while a large volume of research in training adaptations has been performed on males; little has been done on females. To date, some research indicates metabolism during moderateintensity exercise may differ between males and females; however, no study has compared repeated-sprint exercise. Therefore, it is unclear as to whether males and females would have a differing physiological response to repeated-sprint training. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a repeated-sprint bout on molecular signalling in muscle and blood measures and heart rate in well-trained footballers. Additionally, we compared running times and sprint decrement (%). Research Design: Eight female senior University football players (Mean ± SD, age, 19 ± 1 y, VO ? 2peak 53.0 ± 5.1 ml·kg-1min-1) and seven male senior University football players (Mean ± SD, age, 19 ± 3 y, VO ? 2peak 59.0 ± 6.6 ml·kg-1min-1) volunteered to participate in this study. Participants performed four bouts of 6 x 30 m maximal sprints spread equally over a 40 min period. Sprint time was measured (at 30 m) for each sprint and sprint decrement was also calculated for all bouts. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle at rest, 15 min following exercise and 2 h into recovery. Venous blood samples were taken at the same time points as the biopsies while capillary blood lactate was measured at rest and 3 min following each sprint bout. Repeated measures ANOVA and Post hoc t-tests were performed to determine significant differences between the two groups (male vs. female) and time points. Findings: Both groups had a significant (P<0.05) increase in blood lactate (mM) after the first bout of repeated sprints, with no differences between females (pre 0.9 ± 0.4 mM – post 10.0 ± 1.6 mM) and males (pre 0.8 ± 0.3 mM – post 10.0 ± 3.5 mM). Blood lactate remained elevated compared to rest (P<0.05) following bouts 2, 3 and 4 for both females (12.0 ± 3.6, 12.0 ± 3.3, 12.2 ± 3.8 mM respectively) and males (11.9 ± 2.9, 11.6 ± 2.3, 11.5 ± 4.0 mM respectively), with no differences between groups or time points (P>0.05). There were no differences (P>0.05) between the female and male athletes in mean heart rate attained at the end of each bout of repeated sprints (187 ± 2 v 190 ± 2 bpm respectively) or during recovery between sprints (140 ± 2 v 130 ± 2 bpm respectively). There were no differences between groups or time points in blood insulin (P>0.05). Fastest 30 m sprint time and mean 30 m sprint time during the repeated-sprint bout was faster for the males than females (4.58 ± 0.12 v 5.26 ± 0.27 s respectively; (P>0.05)). However, there were no differences in running velocity during the sprints between the males and females (165 ± 0.4 % vs. 155 ± 0.05 %; P>0.05) when expressed relative to velocity at VO ? 2peak (vVO ? 2peak). Also, mean % decrement during the repeated-sprint bout was lower in the males then females (4.9 ± 1.3 v 7.1 ± 1.9 % respectively; P<0.05). No changes were observed in total or phosphorylated Akt at any time-point or between genders. However, while total 4E-BP1 was lower, the ratio of total to phosphoryalated 4E-BP1 at rest was greater in males than females (P<0.05). Finally, there was also a significant decrease in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation post-exercise in males (P<0.05), but not females. Conclusions: There were no sex differences in blood lactate or heart rate throughout the repeated-sprint bout. These findings suggest that there were no cardio respiratory or lactate production/clearance differences in the response to a repeated-sprint-training bout between sexes. However, while males were faster than their female counterparts, the average relative speed was similar between sexes, suggesting a similar relative volume of work was performed during the sprint bouts. However, the females did have a greater decrement in sprint performance indicating a greater ability to recover sprint performance in the males. Sex differences in resting total and phosphorylated 4E-BP1 may indicate greater potential for muscle growth in the male athletes during basal conditions. However, differences could be due to factors other than sex, including previous training history. There was a lack of change in plasma insulin or Akt, but, similar to resistance exercise, a significant decrease in post-exercise 4E-BP1 phosphorylation for the males, but not females. The sex differences in the 4E-BP1 phosphorylation response post-exercise could be due to differences in the metabolic disturbance in the muscle during and following maximal sprints. Keywords: blood lactate, heart rate, muscle

Background: Due to the unique demands of the sport, athletes playing football perform a variety of differing training methods to improve physiological performance. These include strength, endurance and sprint training. While the effects of strength and endurance training have been well researched, the effects of repeated-sprint training on blood and muscle variables in well trained males and females are not well known. An understanding of changes to the blood and muscle during and following an exercise bout are important, so to gain an understanding of the type of stress and resulting adaptations that may occur. Also, while a large volume of research in training adaptations has been performed on males; little has been done on females. To date, some research indicates metabolism during moderateintensity exercise may differ between males and females; however, no study has compared repeated-sprint exercise. Therefore, it is unclear as to whether males and females would have a differing physiological response to repeated-sprint training. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a repeated-sprint bout on molecular signalling in muscle and blood measures and heart rate in well-trained footballers. Additionally, we compared running times and sprint decrement (%). Research Design: Eight female senior University football players (Mean ± SD, age, 19 ± 1 y, VO ? 2peak 53.0 ± 5.1 ml·kg-1min-1) and seven male senior University football players (Mean ± SD, age, 19 ± 3 y, VO ? 2peak 59.0 ± 6.6 ml·kg-1min-1) volunteered to participate in this study. Participants performed four bouts of 6 x 30 m maximal sprints spread equally over a 40 min period. Sprint time was measured (at 30 m) for each sprint and sprint decrement was also calculated for all bouts. Muscle biopsies were taken from the vastus lateralis muscle at rest, 15 min following exercise and 2 h into recovery. Venous blood samples were taken at the same time points as the biopsies while capillary blood lactate was measured at rest and 3 min following each sprint bout. Repeated measures ANOVA and Post hoc t-tests were performed to determine significant differences between the two groups (male vs. female) and time points. Findings: Both groups had a significant (P<0.05) increase in blood lactate (mM) after the first bout of repeated sprints, with no differences between females (pre 0.9 ± 0.4 mM – post 10.0 ± 1.6 mM) and males (pre 0.8 ± 0.3 mM – post 10.0 ± 3.5 mM). Blood lactate remained elevated compared to rest (P<0.05) following bouts 2, 3 and 4 for both females (12.0 ± 3.6, 12.0 ± 3.3, 12.2 ± 3.8 mM respectively) and males (11.9 ± 2.9, 11.6 ± 2.3, 11.5 ± 4.0 mM respectively), with no differences between groups or time points (P>0.05). There were no differences (P>0.05) between the female and male athletes in mean heart rate attained at the end of each bout of repeated sprints (187 ± 2 v 190 ± 2 bpm respectively) or during recovery between sprints (140 ± 2 v 130 ± 2 bpm respectively). There were no differences between groups or time points in blood insulin (P>0.05). Fastest 30 m sprint time and mean 30 m sprint time during the repeated-sprint bout was faster for the males than females (4.58 ± 0.12 v 5.26 ± 0.27 s respectively; (P>0.05)). However, there were no differences in running velocity during the sprints between the males and females (165 ± 0.4 % vs. 155 ± 0.05 %; P>0.05) when expressed relative to velocity at VO ? 2peak (vVO ? 2peak). Also, mean % decrement during the repeated-sprint bout was lower in the males then females (4.9 ± 1.3 v 7.1 ± 1.9 % respectively; P<0.05). No changes were observed in total or phosphorylated Akt at any time-point or between genders. However, while total 4E-BP1 was lower, the ratio of total to phosphoryalated 4E-BP1 at rest was greater in males than females (P<0.05). Finally, there was also a significant decrease in 4E-BP1 phosphorylation post-exercise in males (P<0.05), but not females. Conclusions: There were no sex differences in blood lactate or heart rate throughout the repeated-sprint bout. These findings suggest that there were no cardio respiratory or lactate production/clearance differences in the response to a repeated-sprint-training bout between sexes. However, while males were faster than their female counterparts, the average relative speed was similar between sexes, suggesting a similar relative volume of work was performed during the sprint bouts. However, the females did have a greater decrement in sprint performance indicating a greater ability to recover sprint performance in the males. Sex differences in resting total and phosphorylated 4E-BP1 may indicate greater potential for muscle growth in the male athletes during basal conditions. However, differences could be due to factors other than sex, including previous training history. There was a lack of change in plasma insulin or Akt, but, similar to resistance exercise, a significant decrease in post-exercise 4E-BP1 phosphorylation for the males, but not females. The sex differences in the 4E-BP1 phosphorylation response post-exercise could be due to differences in the metabolic disturbance in the muscle during and following maximal sprints. Keywords: blood lactate, heart rate, muscle