Genetic science, which has shown great development in recent years, touches our lives more and more every day. It guides not only in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases but also in athlete development, nutrition, and the creation of ideal training programs. Within the scope of the 'National Sports Genome Project', on which Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan from Üsküdar University's Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics has been working since 2014, the first data on the genetic structure of Turkish athletes have been obtained. Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan stated: "According to the data we obtained, I can say that we actually have a genetic infrastructure suitable for football." Ulucan, pointing out our potential to succeed in all sports branches, added that we also have the most extensive archive in terms of genetic information.
Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan from Üsküdar University's Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, known for his sports genetics research, provided information about the ‘National Sports Genome Project’, which they have been working on since 2014.
The Foundation of Success in Sports…
Prof. Dr. Ulucan, citing Turkey's championship in women's volleyball and Germany's in men's basketball at the 2023 European Championships as recent examples that sports are a science requiring discipline, stated that the foundation of every success is laid years in advance and requires consistent follow-up of the program over many years.
“Let's train according to our genetic makeup and play the sport we enjoy”
Emphasizing that valuable studies have been conducted in the field of sports genetics, geneticist Prof. Dr. Ulucan said: “We have also carried out many studies on this subject from day one. There is a misconception among people to ‘do sports suitable for our genetic makeup.’ The issue we are working on here is ‘let's do the sport we enjoy, and train according to our genetic makeup to be more successful.’ Since 2014, we have gathered our work under the umbrella of the ‘National Sports Genome Project.’ Our goal is to better guide talented athletes in this geography.”
“We have the potential to succeed in all sports branches”
Stating that the geography we live in has a highly heterogeneous genetic structure, Prof. Dr. Ulucan said: “The land we inhabit has been exposed to migration routes for centuries. Thus, we believe it has absorbed gene samples from different populations. With such genetic diversity, we need to achieve much more sustainable success not only in volleyball, wrestling, weightlifting, and basketball, but also in all sports branches such as athletics, boxing, football, swimming, and tennis. We deserve this, and we have this potential. Provided that we can organize well. Let's do it all together with interdisciplinary collaboration, without scientific branches excluding each other or trying to stand out. From a genetic perspective, we provide ample necessary support, and we need to provide even more.”
We have the most extensive archive in terms of genetic information…
Prof. Dr. Ulucan, noted that they have not only worked with football players within the scope of the project but also with athletes from various sports branches, stating the following:
“Perhaps we have the most extensive archive in terms of genetic information across such diverse athlete groups. We have divided sports genetics studies into 4 main categories: analyses related to athletic performance, analyses related to athlete nutrition, analyses related to the prevention of non-contact injuries, and psychogenetic factors determining athletes' concentrations. In recent years, we have also added genetic factors related to talent development to this group. To date, we have produced over 25 postgraduate theses and more than 50 articles on this subject.”
“Our biggest shortcoming is that footballers don't take care of themselves”
“According to the data we obtained, I can say that we actually have a genetic infrastructure suitable for football,” said Prof. Dr. Ulucan, adding that gene combinations supporting both aerobic and anaerobic physiology were more prevalent in their study groups compared to others. Prof. Dr. Ulucan continued:
“We can implement suitable training models and position selections in terms of muscle structure and physiological makeup. From the perspective of training science, our coaches and technical staff are very knowledgeable and implement excellent practices. In fact, I believe our biggest shortcoming in this regard is that, unfortunately, our footballer brothers do not take adequate care of themselves.”
“We have a genetic infrastructure similar to the footballers in the major leagues we admire”
Prof. Dr. Ulucan pointed out that, according to literature, we have a genetic infrastructure similar to the footballers in the major leagues we admire, stating: “From this perspective, we are fortunate. Here, we need training models suitable for our genetic structure and a group of footballers who will pay a little more attention to themselves. Furthermore, some genetic variants we analyzed enable us to be successful in performing certain movements. For example, regarding how much we need to practice to send a penalty kick to a specific point. Of course, the results we obtain here are qualitative, not quantitative. That is, rather than telling us ‘do this for so many hours or so many repetitions,’ they provide results like ‘you need to repeat more often’.”
“Footballers do not have enough knowledge about nutrition”
Emphasizing that not only athletes but also individuals who do not engage in physical activity need appropriate nutrition programs, Prof. Dr. Korkut Ulucan stated:
“Both in the formation and preservation of athlete performance, nutrition and rest are extremely important. In fact, they are often so important that they can precede training. After a good training session, athletes need a very good nutrition program for their development, and suitable regeneration conditions for the repair or development of tired and worn-out muscles.
In our studies, we observed that our footballers not only lack sufficient knowledge about nutrition but also possess misinformation likely derived from the internet or casual conversations. This information is particularly critical regarding food supplements. We always tried to explain that with balanced nutrition suited to your genetic makeup, such food supplements will not be necessary, at least at certain times. Let the nutritionists you work with create these plans. No matter how well you train, no matter how well you perform, if you cannot send enough necessary molecules to our cells, it will be useless, and it can even herald injuries. For example, we identified inflammatory variants in many athletes and provided the necessary information to their dietitians. Especially when these genetic variants combine with genetic variants that predispose to non-contact injuries, also referred to as soft tissue injuries, they can lead to undesirable outcomes.”
Psychogenetic factors also identified in athletes included in the study
Prof. Dr. Ulucan highlighted that one of the most striking results of the study was the identification of psychogenetic factors affecting footballers' concentrations, stating: “In many footballers we studied, we identified serotonergic and dopaminergic genetic variants associated with anxiety. In fact, these variants can predispose individually or collectively, but environmental factors are also important in the development of such problems. Therefore, regardless of which genetic variants they possess, our footballers can overcome this potential problem with mental support or sports psychologists.”
The primary reason for a drop in performance in the last 20-25 minutes of matches may be psychological factors
Prof. Dr. Ulucan stated that he believes the primary reason for a drop in performance in the last 20-25 minutes of matches is due to psychological factors rather than conditioning issues, adding: “Especially in international matches, I think our inability to control these factors is why we get angry with our opponents more easily. Perhaps our opponents have already figured us out. However, with a structured approach, even if our athletes possess these variants, they can remain calm and maintain game concentration. The impact of these genetic factors is significant, especially in the development of our young players.”
Over 200 footballers studied
Prof. Dr. Ulucan stated that they worked with approximately 200 footballers within the scope of their projects, saying: “Most of our athletes were youth players, but some are now playing football in top leagues abroad, and some in our country. Most of them have become professional. We also have national footballers in our study groups. I still communicate with some of them and try to support them as they wish. This is a long process; lifestyles suited to one's genetic structure begin to make a difference over a long time. Although many of our athletes report changes in a short period, it takes time for them to reach the level we desire, provided they consistently follow the program.” He thus underlined that scientific and disciplined work makes and will make a difference.