Operational research (OR) is a scientific approach to the solution of
problems in the management of complex systems that enables decision
makers to make better decisions. It has been used to influence sports
strategy for decades to formulate successful strategies, plan fixtures,
and project tournament outcomes. From designing tournaments to ensuring
fairness and equity, to optimising the performance of Olympic cycling
sprinters, OR is playing a key role behind the scenes.
Paralympian, Matt Lloyd[i],
an academic at Hull University and Chairman of the Systems Thinking
Organisation at the OR Society said: “Operational Research (OR) has had a
massive impact on sports, over the last 75 years, whether it has been
through helping analyse player performances, scheduling training or
providing a greater understanding of events planning, OR has been
instrumental in identifying and implementing significant improvements.”
Matt highlights British Cycling which used a technique called marginal gains aggregation[ii]. This wasn’t about overhauling everything but improving every aspect by 1%, encompassing minute changes in equipment, training routines, and even personal hygiene practices.
A marginal gains approach saw a 1% performance improvement which
resulted in the British cycling team scooping seven out of 10 gold
medals in track cycling at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, matched also at
London 2012. Prior to this, British cycling had only won a single gold
medal in its 76-year history[iii].
Matt added: “In competitive sports it is about taking a holistic
approach to everything from nutrition to sleep patterns to training
schedules and using systems and analytics to predict the optimum for
peak performance. Prior to using OR techniques athletes would run, row,
cycle etc. but now they can use data to identify opportunities to
improve using a range of lifestyle and training data. Small differences
can be the difference between medals or not as the British cycling team
found out.”
Matt is also one of the authors of a new report[iv] ‘The Power of Sport: A Lifetime of Opportunity,’ a collaborative
research project from The Disability Policy Centre and Soda, supported
by Nimbus Disability, that was launched on 23 July 2024 at the House of
Lords and written using OR concepts as the underlying methodology. The
report provides insight through the narrative of sports and leisure,
identifying barriers and solutions to improving participation, inclusion
and accessibility across the UK and beyond, with recommendations for
both Government and civil society.
It’s being published nearly 12 years on from the London Paralympic
Games, which according to a report by Bournemouth University were seen
to ‘destigmatise’ disability by ‘humanising’ through increasing the
visibility of disability on television, improving forms of disability
representation, and challenging non-disabled audiences' understanding of
what disabled people can do[v].
Another key figure driving the connections between OR and sport is
Phil Scarf, Professor of Management Mathematics at Cardiff Business
School. Speaking recently to the OR Society he also highlighted how OR
techniques have been used in cycling, particularly in planning tactics
for the Match Sprint event at the London 2012 Olympics.
Phil said: “The match sprint, a head-to-head race, exemplifies OR's
role in developing probabilistic models to inform tactical decisions.
The race's tactical dynamics involve strategic positioning on the track
before a final sprint to the finish line, with slipstreaming playing a
crucial role in reducing air resistance. By analysing video data and
employing logistic regression, OR researchers can identify influential
race variables and tactics, thereby guiding optimal strategies for
cyclists that are leading, following, and leveraging slipstreaming to
increase the probability of victory.”
Seb Hargreaves, Executive Director, The OR Society concludes: “As we
look forward to Paris 2024 it’s exciting to see how OR can transform
sports strategy. OR techniques are applied across a very diverse range
of sports and can be a real game-changer. By optimising tournament
designs, enhancing player performance, and addressing logistical and
scheduling challenges, OR ensures that sports remain captivating for
audiences worldwide, offering thrilling experiences for fans, athletes,
and organisers alike.”
[i] Matt represented Great Britain in both Para Ice Hockey and Sitting
Volleyball, including at the 2006 Paralympics in Turin. He heads up Greycat Associates, a consultancy that uses systems thinking to advise businesses, governments and charities.
[ii]
https://www.waywedo.com/blog/marginal-gains-strategy
[iii] https://hbr.org/2015/10/how-1-performance-improvements-led-to-olympic-gold
[iv] https://thedisabilitypolicycentre.org/powerofsport
[v] https://thedisabilitypolicycentre.org/powerofsport