Efecto de la edad relativa en el balonmano profesional español

Abstract

In sport, classifying players during the training period according to their year of birth generates inequalities in terms of the number of learning opportunities. This study investigates the effect of relative age at the highest levels of Spanish handball. Its presence is analyzed and it is observed whether gender and nationality variables influence it. For this purpose, the dates of birth, gender and nationality of 1141 male and female players in the two main Spanish leagues (Liga ASOBAL and Liga Guerreras Iberdrola) were collected during 3 seasons. After classifying them by year of birth, assuming an equitable distribution, the results only showed significant differences in the case of male handball (χ² = 5.04; p = 0.02) with a RAE Coefficient value of 1.20. The distribution in the case of female players was more homogeneous. When observing the sample based on nationality, the greatest differences occurred in foreign players (χ² = 7.20; p = 0.01) with a RAE Coefficient value of 1.45. Therefore, it can be stated that the RAE due to the year of birth only influences Spanish elite men's handball, caused by those international players who play in the ASOBAL League teams. The presence of these foreign athletes is the cause of the only differences observed between the groups analyzed.