Sport for Yes? The role of sporting issues in pro-independence political discourse during the Scottish independence referendum campaign

This article critically considers the extent to which sporting issues were harnessed by pro-independence political campaigners during the Scottish independence referendum campaign. Developments such as the inclusion of sport within the Scottish Government’s White Paper on Scottish independence, the establishment of the ‘Working Group on Scottish Sport’ and the establishment of the ‘Sport for Yes’ campaign group demonstrate the harnessing of sporting issues as an additional, if somewhat peripheral, debate point in the referendum campaigns (Lafferty 2014, Scottish Government 2013, Working Group on Scottish Sport and Scottish Government 2013, 2014). The latter of these developments, the establishment of the ‘Sport for Yes’ campaign group, is of particular interest, offering evidence of the explicit political mobilisation of past and present athletes in support of the ‘Yes Scotland’ pro-independence campaign. The use of sport within pro-independence political discourse is therefore scrutinised, drawing upon the principles of critical discourse analysis to explore the ideological assumptions underpinning the discursive representation of sport in relation to Scottish independence

Muscle fiber characteristics of competitive power lifters

To examine the skeletal muscle characteristics of power lifters, 5 competitive power lifters (PL; X̄ ± SE; age = 31.0 ± 1.5 years, squat = 287.7 ± 15.7 kg, bench press = 170.5 ± 17.7 kg, and deadlift = 284.2 ± 7.5 kg) and 5 untrained control subjects (CON; age = 27.3 ± 3.3 years) served as subjects. Isokinetic squat force and power was greater (p \u3c 0.05) for the PL at all bar velocities (0.20, 0.82, and 1.43 m · s-1), as was vertical jump height and estimated power. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis m. revealed significant differences for percent fiber type (PL, IIA = 45.5 ± 1.6%, IIB = 1.3 ± 0.8%; CON, IIA = 33.4 ± 3.1%, IIB = 12.0 ± 2.4%); percent fiber type area (PL, IIA = 51.8 ± 1.6%, IIB = 1.3 ± 0.8%; CON, IIA = 43.5 ± 3.4%, IIB = 12.4 ± 2.6%); and percent myosin heavy chain isoform (PL, IIa = 59.5 ± 6.1%; CON, 46.5 ± 2.5%). Muscle fiber characteristics were significantly correlated (r = ± 0.61) with numerous strength and power measures for the PL. These data illustrate the muscle fiber characteristics necessary for the maximal force production requirements of power lifting

Muscle fiber characteristics of competitive power lifters

To examine the skeletal muscle characteristics of power lifters, 5 competitive power lifters (PL; X̄ ± SE; age = 31.0 ± 1.5 years, squat = 287.7 ± 15.7 kg, bench press = 170.5 ± 17.7 kg, and deadlift = 284.2 ± 7.5 kg) and 5 untrained control subjects (CON; age = 27.3 ± 3.3 years) served as subjects. Isokinetic squat force and power was greater (p \u3c 0.05) for the PL at all bar velocities (0.20, 0.82, and 1.43 m · s-1), as was vertical jump height and estimated power. Muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis m. revealed significant differences for percent fiber type (PL, IIA = 45.5 ± 1.6%, IIB = 1.3 ± 0.8%; CON, IIA = 33.4 ± 3.1%, IIB = 12.0 ± 2.4%); percent fiber type area (PL, IIA = 51.8 ± 1.6%, IIB = 1.3 ± 0.8%; CON, IIA = 43.5 ± 3.4%, IIB = 12.4 ± 2.6%); and percent myosin heavy chain isoform (PL, IIa = 59.5 ± 6.1%; CON, 46.5 ± 2.5%). Muscle fiber characteristics were significantly correlated (r = ± 0.61) with numerous strength and power measures for the PL. These data illustrate the muscle fiber characteristics necessary for the maximal force production requirements of power lifting