AI avatars, VAR and tech overreach in football

There's a lot to catch up on today's Spotlight. Four weeks of Festive season sport means a range of topics from technology failures in the Ashes to the "Battle of the Sexes" debacle, thoughts on cyclo-cross dominance and excitement, Biathlon's appeal, Luke Littler's darts revolution, and some Enhanced Games ruminations as more athletes are announced. We also tease a few 2026 sports events, and hope you'll join us throughout the year for sports science insights and discussions.

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Links

• Article on the Kyrgios-Sabalenka reactions
• Luke Littler's moment and the growth of darts
• Technology fails England at the Ashes
• Gareth's fascinating exploration of the not-so-simple guide to fitness (Supporters Club Members access)
• Stuart Phillips' paper on resistance training - just do it, and don't get stuck on the details
• Michael Ashenden on the Enhanced Games - the source of our philosophical discussion on doping in the show
• The sad death of Sivert Guttorm Bakken of Norway
• USA-Canada relations are not looking good - this time thanks to a skeleton controversy

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