The French newspaper Le Monde asked me to write an Op-Ed on the 2018 Tour de France, specifically addressing the question “Can we trust Chris Froome and Team Sky”. This is the original, unedited piece that was submitted. It details the history of the Tour, which makes up the canvas onto which the words “Trust me” are written, and explains why that appeal must be accompanied by extraordinary actions to break a cycle that is now decades long. Froome and Sky fall well short of it.
Sports management
Team Sky and Marginal Games
UKAD sent a scathing letter to British Cycling, outlining a series of improper and sub standard processes and governance issues in the aftermath of their Jiffy Bag Investigation. The letter shatters the illusion of Marginal gains by the most professional, well run team in cycling, while the inaction by UKAD despite all the problems reveals the impotence of anti-doping bodies.
Head injuries in Rugby Part 3: The key evidence and law change advice
This is part 3 of the 3-part series on head injuries in rugby. It explores the two most interesting and relevant findings of the research, looking at how the height of the tackle and the body position of the players influences head injury risk. These two items formed the strongest evidence that was used to change the high tackle laws in the sport. We also discuss the next steps and future application of the research.
Head injuries part 2: What makes a tackle risky?
This is the second installment in a series of articles translating recent research I published on the risk of head injuries during rugby. This part looks at the characteristics of the tackle that increase or decrease the risk.
Head injuries in Rugby, Part 1: Principle & high-level view
World Rugby recently changed and clarified laws around the high tackle in an attempt to reduce the number of concussions in the sport. That change was based on an in-depth study of the tackle, done to identify the mechanisms for head injury. This post, the first of a series of three articles on the subject, discusses the process, the principle of the research, and the high level findings.