A Leave of Absence -- From Medicine or the Olympics -- Is Not a Sign of Weakness

Psychotropic drugs in the Olympic Games: Doping regulations and athletes' mental health medications

Elite gymnast Simone Biles made headlines in 2021 when she withdrew from the team finals and the individual all-around finals in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for mental health reasons. Before that, ...

The twisties, the yips and target panic—why sportspeople sometimes suddenly lose the ability to perform

In elite gymnastics, few names shine as brightly as Simone Biles, known for her high-difficult routines and seemingly unshakable confidence. Biles stunned the world during the Tokyo Olympics ...

5 barely legal performance enhancers pushing Olympians to the edge

In 1999, sports changed forever. On 10 November, WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, was established “to protect athletes, promote the values of clean sport and preserve the spirit of sport ...

Olympics 2024 shows the untapped potential of female athletes

With each Olympic Games athletes are expected to break new records. Sport science experts have been speculating for years whether we are reaching the limits of human ability. But they may be ...

Editorial: Games reflect the highs and the limits of chemistry

Science plays a role in performance but cannot answer the difficult questions facing organizers

Explainer: why athletes are taking sodium bicarbonate supplements

Why runners are taking pills containing a common kitchen ingredient

China Shrug Off Doping Controversy, Win 12 Olympic Swimming Medals

Pan Zhanle and stalwart Zhang Yufei spearheaded China to 12 Olympic medals in the Paris pool, shrugging off intense scrutiny over a doping controversy that engulfed the team ahead of the Games. ...