Sex and Sport – Performance Enhancer Inhibitor?

The FIFA World Cup has reignited the debate in sexuality as to whether or not athletes should abstain from sex until after the big game or tournament. Athletes like football players are at their peak physically, many of them have been accompanied by their partners. Some in favor of waiting have argued that sex will distract and deplete athletes, and that unsatiated desires can fuel aggression and competitive spirit. Others, however, think sex is a nice way to rest and calm one’s nerves before a performance. 

Some World Cup coaches insisted that sex was off-limits when their teams got to Brazil. Mexico’s players were told not to have sex, and the coach of the team from Bosnia-Herzegovina told his players, “There will be no sex in Brazil. … I am not interested what the other coaches do, this is not a holiday trip, and we are there to play football at the World Cup.”

Brazil’s coach took a slightly more balanced approach, if a more intrusive one. “Usually normal sex is done in balanced way, but there are certain forms, certain ways and others who do acrobatics. We will put limits and survey the players,” he said.

Several studies have been undertaken on the subject. The three most credible studies found that sex the night before an athletic event had no physiological effect on performance but none of them looked at potential psychological impact. Other factors worth noting include the fact that 40 percent of long-distance runners felt weaker while they were exerting themselves after sex, but the authors of that study noted that sex seemed to affect each athlete differently.

Other research considered whether the real issue isn’t the sex itself but the fact that every night time minute an athlete is “doing it” is one he or she is not spending asleep, and research has certainly found that well-rested athletes perform better.

A final set of research, however, could be used to support sex before the event, at least for women. In a number of studies, researchers have found that orgasms relieve pain (such as migraines and menstrual cramps) and increase a woman’s tolerance for pain.

In the end, maybe the Brazil coach has it right. Some run-of-the-mill sex that leads to orgasm but doesn’t tire you out too much or keep you up all night might be the way to go.

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