The replication crisis in sports science with Joe Warne, PhD | EP#468
Joe Warne, PhD, is a researcher at the Technological University Dublin. Joe is a main driver behind the Sports Science Replication Centre, that aims to replicate studies in the field of sports science to critically evaluate the quality and validity of the research. Joe and his team recently published a large-scale study showing that only 28% of randomly selected studies could be replicated, which has led to great concerns regarding the quality and methodology in sports science, and could impact how we view and consume science. HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: What are the replication concerns in sports science, and why does it matter? How can coaches and athletes navigate scientific research, given the methodological issues that exist? How to discern between more and less credible findings in sports scienceThe underlying issues: publication bias, underpowered study designs, and questionable research practicesThe way forwardDETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES: We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. Naturally, as great as they are, they do not cover absolutely everything in as great detail as we can do in a 45-90 minute podcast episode. The shownotes for today's episode can be found at www.scientifictriathlon.com/tts468/LINKS AND RESOURCES: Joe's ResearchGate profileSports Science Replication Centre websiteReplication concerns in sports and exercise science: a narrative review of selected methodological issues in the field - Mesquida et al. 2022Estimating the Replicability of Sports and Exercise Science Research - Murphy et al. 2025Publication bias, statistical power and reporting practices in the Journal of Sports Sciences: potential barriers to replicability - Mesquida et al. 2023On the replicability of sports and exercise science research: assessing the prevalence of publication bias and studies with underpowered designs by a z-curve analysis - Mesquida et al. 2025A scoping review of the transparency, reporting practices and methodological rigor of meta-analyses published in Sports Medicine - Mesquida et al. 2025prevalence, reporting practices, and methodological quality of a priori power analyses in sports and exercise science research - Mesquida et al. 2025WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following episodes: Manuel Sola Arjona – The Nature of Training and complexity science | EP#437Balancing the art and the science of endurance training with Susan Sotir, PhD | EP#167The Skeptic’s Guide To Sports Science with Nicholas Tiller, PhD | EP#239You can find our full episode archives here, where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc.You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes, TTS Thursday episodes, and Beginner Tips episodes. LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON: The Scientific Triathlon website is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we doContact us through our contact form or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs)Subscribe to our NewsletterFollow us on InstagramLearn more about our coaching, training plans, and training camps. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals. HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)? I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time. Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released.Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far! Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones).Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack. SPONSORS: Precision Fuel & Hydration help athletes personalise their hydration and fueling strategies for training and racing. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event. That Triathlon Show listeners get 15% off their first order of fuel and electrolyte products. Simply use this link and the discount will be auto-applied at the checkout.