Nicolas Delorme

Publications (4)5.35 Total impact

• Source

  Available from: archives-ouvertes.fr

  Article: Relative age and dropout in French male soccer.

  Nicolas Delorme, Julie Boiche, Michel Raspaud
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  ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to examine the birthdates distribution of French male soccer players (n = 363,590) who dropped out during or after the 2006-2007 season, to determine whether the relative age effect is linked to dropout behaviour. An over-representation of players born late in the competitive year was observed among dropouts, from the U-9 to the U-18 age categories, whereas their counterparts born earlier in the year were under-represented. The distortion of the distribution was most marked for the extreme quarters of the competitive year, and in the U-13 and U-15 categories. This biased distribution was not confirmed for the U-7 category. Finally, regarding the adult category, an unbiased distribution of dropouts was observed as hypothesized. Practical implications to avoid the negative consequences of the relative age effect are advanced.
  Journal of Sports Sciences 05/2010; 28(7):717-22. · 1.93 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: arxiv.org

  Article: Relative Age Effect in Elite Sports: Methodological Bias or Real Discrimination?

  Nicolas Delorme, Julie Boiché, Michel Raspaud
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  ABSTRACT: Sport sciences researchers talk about a relative age effect when they observe a biased distribution of elite athletes' birthdates, with an over-representation of those born at the beginning of the competitive year and an under-representation of those born at the end. Using the whole sample of the French male licensed soccer players (n = 1,831,524), our study suggests that there could be an important bias in the statistical test of this effect. This bias could in turn lead to falsely conclude to a systemic discrimination in the recruitment of professional players. Our findings question the accuracy of past results concerning the existence of this effect at the elite level.
  01/2010;
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  Available from: archives-ouvertes.fr

  Article: Is there an influence of relative age on participation in non-physical sports activities? The example of shooting sports.

  Nicolas Delorme, Michel Raspaud
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  ABSTRACT: The aims of this study were to test for the presence of a relative age effect among male (n = 119,715) and female (n = 12,823) members of the shooting sports federation, and to determine whether any such effect has an impact on dropout from the sport. For the boys and girls, the results show a uniform distribution of dropout. A relative age effect was not found for the girls, showing that in female shooting sports there is no such effect. For the males, a significant statistical relative age effect was not detected in the 18-20 and 13-14 year categories. However, a relative age effect was found among adults and the 11-12 and under 11 year categories. A significant "inverse" relative age effect was found for the 15-17 year group. Further qualitative research is needed to clarify which factors contribute to this asymmetric distribution of birth dates in French male shooting sports.
  Journal of Sports Sciences 08/2009; 27(10):1035-42. · 1.93 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: archives-ouvertes.fr

  Article: The relative age effect in elite sport: the French case.

  Nicolas Delorme, Julie Boiché, Michel Raspaud
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  ABSTRACT: The relative age effect (RAE) is considered a common phenomenon in elite sport. Howeven it has not been examined systematically in previous research, and the mechanisms likely to generate or to limit such an effect are little understood. This paper investigates the prevalence of the RAE in French professional championship-level players, taking into account the potential influence of gender. Among all investigated sports, no statistically significant RAE was found, except for male ice hockey. For male handball and rugby union a trend was detected, but the RAE did not appear statistically significant. In line with previous'studies, n osignificant RAEs were found in female elite sports. The results are discussed with regard to the potential mechanisms underlying RAE.
  Research quarterly for exercise and sport 07/2009; 80(2):336-44. · 1.49 Impact Factor