Bengaluru: Sports science, once a peripheral support system, is now central to elite sport; shaping not only performance but also career. Few examples capture this evolution better than Jasprit Bumrah, whose unconventional bowling action — marked by short runs and explosive delivery — has long been the subject of biomechanical scrutiny, with experts pointing to the stress it places on the lower back.
Rather than altering action drastically, management has focused on carefully monitoring his workload and structured rehabilitation, allowing him to remain effective across all formats despite recurring injury concerns.
Globally, similar stories show how deeply sport has embraced science. Lionel Messi’s longevity at the highest level has been aided by meticulous load management and injury prevention protocols, while Stephen Curry rebuilt his career through the science of movement after early ankle problems.
In India, this transformation in Olympic sports has picked up pace over the past decade or less. For this matter, the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) has increasingly relied on biomechanics and performance analytics to bridge the gap with global standards. The appointment of German javelin expert Klaus Bartonietz proved crucial in shaping the rise of Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra as the pair found common ground in their ideas.
While sports science has since proved crucial in the development of other athletes as well, the AFI’s latest foray into Project GENESIS has sparked intrigue and concern.
Announced following discussions at the federation’s Annual General Meeting in Kohima earlier this month, the initiative proposes DNA testing of India’s top track and field athletes with the stated aim of improving injury management and long-term performance planning.
According to the federation’s official communication, the project — titled Genomics for the Integrated System of Elite Sports — aims to "optimizing athlete performance, health, recovery and injury prevention through the integration of genomics in high-performance sport".
The circular further states that the initiative has been developed in collaboration with a genomics firm and is part of AFI’s broader push towards "modern scientific, evidence-based and ethical practices" in pursuit of sustained international success.
AFI spokesperson and World Athletics vice-president Adille Sumariwalla reinforced this position, stating that most existing genetic research is based on Western populations and India needs its own data to better understand its athletes.
However, for all its ambitions, the presentation has raised more questions than answers.
Athletes, already navigating a complicated regulatory environment, have found themselves uncertain about what the testing entails and how the data will be used or misused.
"The circular came at a time when all female athletes must undergo the SRY gene test." said a good athlete on condition of anonymity. "It almost feels like a way to screen athletes and this DNA testing feels no different at this point with little clarity given about it. I just hope that athletes will have the opportunity to say no without scrutiny."
Skepticism among athletes is understandable as the idea challenges traditional training methods and long-held beliefs about performance and injury management. Crucially, the lack of a clear transition into mainstream practice has left even those somewhat familiar with the concept unconvinced of its immediate value.
Part of the confusion lies in what DNA testing for athletes actually entails.
Unlike biomechanics or physiological testing — which provide immediate and measurable results — genetic testing works on probabilities. It attempts to identify markers associated with traits such as muscle composition, collagen strength and response to inflammation, all of which may influence injury risk or recovery patterns.
Dr Tvisha Parikh, consultant sports medicine physician at Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, explains the premise.
"There are certain physical attributes that aid in athletic performance, and when genetic testing is done, patterns emerge," said Dr. Parikh. “For example, runners may share certain genes, while endurance athletes may have others. So if we identify these markers, it can guide training decisions.”
However, Dr Parikh, who also served as the deputy chief medical officer for India at the 2024 Paris Olympics, cautions against overestimating its current usefulness.
"Of course it is not fully formed, it is being developed. We already have other forms of testing that are quite useful. Genetics is only one part of the bigger picture," she said.
She illustrates this with an example from conventional sports science, where she worked with India’s new national marathon holder, Sawan Barwal, whose marathon endurance was identified after a VO2 max test, which measures the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise.
"We tested an athlete’s VO2 max and found it to be extremely high, which suggested he was better suited for endurance events than shorter distances. This difference came from performance testing as we had previous data to compare it to. Similarly, with any test, including genetic testing, one must know how to interpret and use the results. Otherwise, it is of limited value," she said.
This distinction is critical since DNA testing does not determine success, but merely provides an additional layer of information.
Globally, the commercialization of genetic testing has added another dimension to the debate. Some laboratories now provide athletes with a detailed genetic profile, and there has been growth in the west. Former high jump world champion Blanka Vlasic accepted the change.
"In the latter stage of my career, I saw athletes enjoying sports science, and this is prevalent nowadays," said the Croatian. "If it came in my time, when I was struggling with injuries, I would have wanted to use it. Maybe I would have had a more successful career."
However, while sports science in its broadest sense has become indispensable, DNA testing still sits on the margins. Unlike established tools such as biomechanics and workload monitoring, genetic profiling has yet to produce consistent, real-world results that would justify widespread adoption.
This is partly because the science itself is still developing. It also reflects on the AFI’s cautious outreach as the federation has, for now, limited the program to top athletes, with no clear roadmap yet on whether to extend it to a wider system.
In this sense, Project GENESIS looks less like a fully formed framework and more like an early step whose long-term direction is still taking shape. The circular, however, highlights this as a step towards integrating genomics into a broader high-throughput framework.
This suggests that the implications are long-term as genetic data only become meaningful when accumulated over years and across large populations. Until then, its application may remain limited.
Dr Ashok Ahuja, former head of sports science and medicine at NIS Patiala, believes that the true value of such initiatives will emerge when they are combined with technology.
"This type of data will have to be processed through artificial intelligence," said Dr. Ahuja. "We are already using AI for injury prevention by analyzing movements such as kinetics, kinematics, angles… When you add genetic data to it, it becomes a massive database that cannot be handled manually."
He also noted the growing importance of epigenetics: the interaction between genes and the environment.
"It’s not just about what you were born with. Environmental factors, training conditions, and even early development can affect how genes behave. So genetics alone cannot explain everything," he said.
“This again points to the fact that this is all still a developing field. Over time, as more data is collected, we will be able to see if the incidence of injury decreases. That’s when its real value will be understood." he said.
Prima facie, the GENESIS Project represents both an opportunity and a challenge. The opportunity is to build a scientific foundation tailored to its athletes, and the challenge would be in the execution, guaranteeing transparency, preserving the privacy of the athletes and clearly communicating the purpose of the initiative. Because in the absence of clarity, even the most advanced science can breed distrust.
