By: Kristian Kjølstad Sigvartsen, Egil Trasti Rogstad, Jens Grut Vorpvik, Stian Røsten, Anne Tjønndal og Sigbjørn Børreson Skirbekk
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Important book about important issues, but less critical than expected
With Wearable Technology in Elite Sport: A Critical Examination, author John Toner invites readers to rethink the role and impact of wearable technology in elite sports. He aims to challenge prevailing views on the necessity and usefulness of athlete data produced by wearable devices. Toner’s starting point is that the objectivity and neutrality of metrics from wearable technology are often taken for granted, and therefore these technologies are thought to offer unbiased insights into sports performance. A key point in Toner’s book is therefore to challenge this widespread perception, and to take a critical look at the mechanisms behind wearable technology in elite sports. The author himself is a senior lecturer in sports coaching and performance in the Department of Sport, Health and Exercise Sciences at the University of Hull, UK. He has an extensive research portfolio within the field of sports technology.
The book consists of six chapters. The first chapter introduces the reader to ‘the cult of measurement’ and outlines its alignment with fundamental premises of elite sports, which helps to secure data from wearable technologies as imperative for athletic development. The second chapter theoretically anchors Toner’s arguments. Subsequently, chapters three through five delve into the production of athlete data, the decision-making process regarding its use, and the presentation of data to athletes and coaches. In these chapters, Toner demonstrates how these processes and decisions sets premises for how we understand and make sense of athlete data in elite sport. In the final chapter, Toner reflects upon the social and ethical implications of extensive use of wearable technology in elite sport, while also providing nuanced perspectives on how we may proceed to deal with athlete data produced by wearable technology.
This progressive perspective is important, as it moves the discussion from critique to actionable insights, thus providing sports coaches, athletes, and other stakeholders with the tools to implement wearable technology in a manner that is both ethical and beneficial.
In our view, Toner’s work stands out for its insightful introduction to the need for critical thinking about wearable technology in elite sports. The author adeptly leverages a plethora of contemporary examples, including nudging, Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and sleep monitoring, to illustrate the omnipresence and impact of wearable technology in elite sports. Furthermore, Toner’s engagement with diverse theoretical standpoints such as positivism, objectivist rhetoric, phenomenology, and neoliberalism, adds a layer of depth to the book’s content. These theoretical lenses help the reader dissect the complex interplay between wearable technology, data interpretation, and the ethos of elite sports, offering a multifaceted view of the issues at hand. By using such a broad theoretical foundation, Toner deepens his discussions and offers insights that challenge conventional perceptions and encourage a more thoughtful engagement with wearable technology in sports.
Toner particularly succeeds at nuancing the implications of widespread use of technology in elite sports. For instance, he thoroughly outlines and discusses ethical dilemmas related to athlete data collection through wearable devices. Still, one of the most notable strengths of Toner’s examination is the focus on practitioners in the concluding chapter, where he outlines a more ethical use of wearable technology in elite sports. By doing so, he does more than critique the present situation; he provides actionable strategies for practitioners to address wearable technology’s ethical dilemmas, guiding them towards more responsible practice. This progressive perspective is important, as it moves the discussion from critique to actionable insights, thus providing sports coaches, athletes, and other stakeholders with the tools to implement wearable technology in a manner that is both ethical and beneficial.
This book masterfully offers readers a comprehensive understanding of the diverse wearable technologies employed in elite sports. However, we find Toner’s commitment to the unambiguous subtitle, ‘A Critical Examination’ somewhat unfulfilled. Overall, we find that the book best serves as an introduction to use of wearables technologies in elite sports (e.g., use of GPS-vests, sleep monitors, apps) rather than an in-depth analysis. This means that ‘A Critical Introduction’ probably would be a more appropriate and precise subtitle in terms of what we as readers “get” from the author. However, there are also some notable exceptions. For instance, in Chapter 2, Toner skillfully discusses how the use of wearables often serve as a surveillance and disciplinary function in elite sports and introduces different sociological frameworks, particularly by drawing on the workings of Michel Foucault and his concepts of panopticon, (bio)power and governance.
Given that this book is ‘A Critical Examination’, we were expecting it to include discussions of technology and social dimensions in sports. As a research group within sociology of sport, we expect research regarding social dimensions such as gender, race, ethnicity, and how these intertwine with technology and potential consequences, to be present when promising a ‘critical examination’. For instance, how differences in access to technology being vastly different in men’s and women’s elite sport affects women athletes’ possibilities to reap the benefits of such technologies. Further, how the design of technology often is based on men, resulting in technology not (as) appropriate for women. In addition, ethnicity is relevant especially considering the extent algorithms is discussed throughout the book. A growing research field continues to show how algorithms (unintentionally) favor ethnic white (male) individuals, from Western countries. Finally, the cost of technology makes for a divide between athletes able to afford it and those who do not. We would have loved to see Toner raise such issues in his critical examination. It also needs to be noted that the book is almost exclusively based on examples from the U.S. and the UK. More diversity in the contexts discussed would have strengthened the transferability and usability of the book to a broader international audience.
Overall, we find that Toner’s book provides readers with a broad understanding of the ways in which wearable technology impacts elite sport. He brings forth great insight into the increasing interplay between innovative technology and the ever-expanding search for new and more effective ways to optimize sport performances. We feel, however, that in order for the book to fulfil its intended purpose as a critical examination of wearable technology in elite sport, there is need for more diversity in the context analyzed, and more in-depth considerations of how social aspects such as gender, race and ethnicity come into play with regard to how wearable data might act to affect high-level athletes. We hope that Toner’s next work on the topic of wearable technology will delve into such issues.
For scholars and students exploring wearable technology in elite sports, this book is a must-read. It offers a thorough overview and prompts readers to critically consider how technology affects athletes and is valued within the sports industry.
