Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Acta Kinesiologica, cilt.16, sa.1, ss.99-106, 2022 (Hakemli Dergi)
Relative age effect is a worldwide phenomenon referring to the subtle age-related (dis)advantages of athletes in
the same age category, particularly in soccer and ice-hockey. Although well-established knowledge has been
achieved to a certain extent, a need for further research is still valid considering different demands of each sport
and possible differences in the course of time. The purpose of this study was to investigate the participation trends
among elite figure skaters in the world regarding relative age effect, and to determine whether a decade has made
a difference. The study sample was composed of 2313 figure skaters competing between 2009-10 and 2018-19
seasons. They were categorized into four quartiles according to their birth months. Total and season by season
analyses were conducted to project any possible seasonal effect over a decade. Chi-square (χ²) goodness-of-fit
tests were used to determine asymmetries in distributions, and odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals
were used to compare quartiles with each other. Effect sizes were calculated using Cramer’s V (V). The results
differed for disciplines and genders. Relatively older male skaters in pairs discipline were significantly overrepresented (χ² = 8.528, p = 0.036, V = 0.11) and a trend favoring relatively younger skaters was determined in
men’s singles discipline through the last three seasons. Season-based analyses revealed no relative age effect
except for the last three seasons. In conclusion, disciplines of figure skating seem to have complex and different
demands regarding relative age effect, and time seems to become a determinant for further studies.