HTL ! Football at altitude?

[shanker]

If I remember correctly, HTL is our resident sports scientist. I just wondered what he thought, if anything, of Bolivia crushing the Argies 6-1 the other day. Apparently the result had more to do with the altitude (3,000 metres) than anything else. Can it affect the result so much? I caught a glimpse of the game and Argentina were terrible. I was thinking of backing them for the World Cup!

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I watched the match on sky and it had more to do with shocking Argentinian defending than altitude. They were inept

 

[forefortheday]

As long as they qualify they are in with a shout.Like many before him, great great player but a terrible terrible manager.

There has long been a debate about high altitude games and I believe it does make a difference due to the amount of oxygen at that height.

Maradona supported them playing at that height though so no excuses there!

 

[HTL]

Yes it can if the Argentinian team were not conditioned to the high altitude.

Basically the % of oxygen decreases the higher you go up, this has a massive impact on performance unless you are conditioned to it. This "conditioning" is what most elite athletes do before big events.

With the decrease in Oxygen the body has to work much harder, pumping oxygen rich blood to the working muscles, it also starts to produce red blood cells to compensate for the decrease. This side effect of producing more oxygen carrying blood cells is what all athletes want, elite athlete train at altitude for several weeks when their blood is super rich in oxygen (close to legal limit) they return to sea level (London Marathon) and woop ass. If an athlete is not conditioned and goes up to an high altitude event they are going to feel like a 90 year old who has smoked all their life.

Altitude also has a missive impact on how far a golf ball travels. Due to the decrease in Oxygen and particles pushing against the ball in the air it goes waaayyy further.

Argentina is hardly at sea level (well most of it) so they don't really have an excuse, unless most of the players play in England, Spain etc?

Sorry its a brief answer but im half asleep, had a few beers at lunch time and they have knocked me for six.

 

[nomadpaul]

I thought FIFA had stopped some of the South American countries playing qualifiers at altitude due to the very advantage that it gives the home country ?

 

[Sneds]

I thought FIFA had stopped some of the South American countries playing qualifiers at altitude due to the very advantage that it gives the home country ?

I think there was an appeal (that maradonna supported)