Exploring the Perspective of Professional Running Athletes to Sharing Genetic Data

Abstract

Background: Genetic testing and technological enhancements are actively being advanced in sports, but there is few research on the governance structure to ensure the athletes’ genetic data. This study explores this gap from the perspective of the athlete by setting perceived data usefulness off against data privacy. Objective: Providing guidelines for sports data ecosystems on how to balance between perceived usefulness of genetic data and data privacy of the athlete. Method: Using a systematic literature as basis, semi-structured interviews with seven professional running athletes were used in a case study. Results: The perceived usefulness of genetic data is mainly in confirming the athlete intuition (a combination of intuition, feeling, and trust), rather than offering information that can enhance their performance. However, the possibility, mainly derived from their curiosity, for useful data is more important than their data privacy, while they do wish to hold data ownership. Conclusion: The level of required privacy the athlete desires fluctuates with the perceived value of genetic testing. Currently, the perceived value is minimal, and so the willingness to give up privacy is lower. If researchers succeed in convincing the value of genetic testing, athletes will be (more) willing to give up (some) privacy to gain the added value.

Date of Award	15 May 2025
Original language	English
Supervisor	Remko Helms (Examiner) & Roger Bons (Co-assessor)