Relative Age Effect in Futsal: A Systematic Review

Year 2025, Volume: 17 Issue: 1, 59 - 70, 26.03.2025

Ali Işın , Alkan Uğurlu

https://doi.org/10.55929/besad.1627036

Abstract

Relative age effect (RAE) is an important phenomenon that has been evidenced in many sports. The aim of this systematic review was to examine if RAE is a selection bias in futsal players. The current research included studies investigating RAE in futsal in Web of Science and SCOPUS databases. A total of 13 research articles covering the years 2010-2023 were systematically reviewed. The overall results show the relative presence of RAEs among futsal players. However, it also shows that male futsal players have skewed birth rates, meaning that athletes born in the first three months of the calendar year have a greater selection advantage. However, no such effect is observed for female futsal players. With respect to playing positions, RAE was found to be more prevalent in positions where physical capacity is more decisive for success. RAEs are relatively common in youth leagues as well as in senior leagues. Therefore, there is a need to develop and implement plans to reduce or eliminate RAEs that cause selection bias.

Keywords

Chronological age, talent selection, selection bias, talent identification

Ethical Statement

Ethics Committee Statement: This systematic review is based on publicly available data and does not involve human participants, therefore ethical approval is not required.

Futsalda Rölatif Yaş Etkisi: Sistematik Bir İnceleme

Abstract

Rölatif yaş etkisi (RYE) birçok spor dalında kanıtlanmış önemli bir olgudur. Bu sistematik derlemenin amacı, RYE'nin futsal oyuncularında bir seçim avantajı olup olmadığını incelemektir. Mevcut araştırma, Web of Science ve SCOPUS veri tabanlarında futsalda RYE'yi araştıran çalışmaları içermektedir. 2010-2023 yıllarını kapsayan toplam 13 araştırma makalesi sistematik olarak incelenmiştir. Genel sonuçlar, futsal oyuncuları arasında RYE’lerin nispeten varlığını göstermektedir. Bununla birlikte erkek futsal oyuncularının çarpık doğum oranlarına sahip olduğunu göstermektedir; bu da takvim yılının ilk üç ayında doğan sporcuların daha büyük bir seçilme avantajına sahip olduğunu anlamına gelmektedir. Ancak kadın futsal oyuncuları için böyle bir etki görülmemektedir. Oyun pozisyonlarına göre, fiziksel kapasitenin başarı için daha belirleyici olduğu pozisyonlarda RYE’nin daha yaygın olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Gençlik liglerinin yanı sıra büyüklerde de RYE’ler nispeten yaygındır. Bu nedenle, seçim önyargısına neden olan RYE’lerin azaltılması ya da ortadan kaldırılması için gerekli planların yapılarak bunların uygulanmasına ihtiyaç vardır.

Keywords

Kronolojik yaş, yetenek seçimi, seçim yanlılığı, yetenek belirleme

Ethical Statement

Etik Kurul Beyanı: Bu sistematik derleme kamuya açık verilere dayanmaktadır ve insan katılımcıları içermemektedir, bu nedenle etik onay gerekli değildir.

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