Adrián Escudero-Tena

Monitoring the demands on basketball referees is essential for optimizing their performance and reducing the risk of injuries. This study aimed to analyze the workload experienced by elite basketball referees during official games. Using a quasi-experimental empirical methodology, inertial devices (WIMUPRO) were used for four referees participating in the official tournament of the Spanish first-division basketball league. All the matches in the tournament were analyzed. Descriptive analysis and ANOVA were used to understand the referees’ demands. Moreover, a Mixed Linear Model was used to take into account the individuality of each referee in the analysis of the variables. The results indicate that the analyzed external and internal load variables are specific to each basketball referee. The variability in referees’ external and internal load demands was identified as low to moderate within performances, between matches, and between quarters. The external and internal load variables did not vary among the three analyzed games. The distance covered during the first quarter of the games was less than in the rest of the quarters, but it was performed at a higher intensity. Neuromuscular load (analyzed as Impacts, Player Load, and Power Metabolic) showed higher values in the first quarter of the games than in the rest. The referees’ response to competition is individual and can be influenced by situational variables such as the moment or type of game.

The study aims to analyze the differences between winning and losing pairs depending on the sex and the round of the tournament in professional padel. A total of 814 matches (438 men and 376 women) from the draw rounds of eight World Padel Tour Open and Master tournaments played during the 2022 season were analyzed by systematic observation. The results indicate that the winning pair obtains more points won ( p < 0.001), more break balls ( p < 0.001), breaks ( p < 0.001), golden points won ( p < 0.001), and golden points won to the return ( p < 0.001) compared to the losing pair, regardless of sex ( p < 0.05) and round. Regarding the differences in both sexes, men players obtained more points won ( p = 0.025) and golden points won on serve ( p = 0.032), while women players obtained more breaks ( p = 0.004), with differences in the winning pairs ( p < 0.001). Concerning the round, it only influences the golden points won to the return in men's padel ( p = 0.037), with a greater difference in the final than in the other rounds. In conclusion, these differences show key game variables that affect the final score, differentiating between sex and establishing game tactics in competition to optimize the players’ performance.