We’ve got a blockbuster episode of Spotlight for you today.
We kick things off with an important discussion around women’s sport and transgender athlete policies, following a landmark ruling from the UK Supreme Court on the legal definition of “woman” in the Equality Act. We know this topic won’t be for everyone, so if you'd prefer to skip ahead to the sports performance and race insights, you can jump straight to that action at about 1:07:12 in the podcast.
For those looking for insight on this important topic, Gareth and I unpack the Supreme Court decision—a ruling with far-reaching implications. We’re joined by Helen Joyce, a leading women’s rights advocate who was in the courtroom for the verdict. She explains why the decision matters, what it means for sports governing bodies, and how it could reshape the future of competitive sport.
Then we shift gears into performance talk: world records fell in the pool and in the discus, and we explore how weather and tech have combined to break new ground. Paris-Roubaix delivered two standout races. In the women’s event, race savvy beat strong legs (for once) as Pauline Ferrand-Prévot stormed to a solo victory in the Roubaix Velodrome. In the men’s race, we got another much-anticipated clash between Pogacar and van der Poel. We break down the physiology behind their efforts, the tactics—including van der Poel’s composed response to Pogacar’s crash—and how plain bad luck robbed the race of a deeper duel.
Gareth also dives into the UK’s gym boom. With more people training than ever, we ask: is it all good news? Or is there more to the story? And finally, we celebrate our Discoursers—listeners and athletes around the world who’ve been tearing it up in races. Gareth shares some standout performances, and we invite you to join the community for world-class training insight and support.
Show notes
Join our Discourse community
If you enjoy the podcast, you’ll love our Discourse community. Become a member of “The Science of Sport” community by joining with a small monthly pledge on Patreon — and be part of the conversation behind the conversation.
Links to topics
The UK Supreme Court Decision discussed in the first part of the show
The FA's Transgender Policy, and the Appendix for Risk acceptance that trans men are required to sign
BBC piece discussion implications for sport
Article on Paul Biedermann's world record being broken
Discus records galore in Ramona
Gareth's discussion on Discourse about the gym membership increase (Members only)
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