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Background: The "athlete's heart" syndrome encompasses structural and functional cardiac adaptations to chronic exercise. These sports impose unique hemodynamic loads, potentially leading to distinct remodeling patterns. Objective: This study aimed to compare central cardiovascular adaptations, both structural and functional, in elite male athletes from basketball, volleyball, and handball to identify sport-specific differences. Methods: Thirty male athletes (aged 18-25; n=10 per sport group) participated in this cross-sectional study. All participants underwent comprehensive transthoracic echocardiography at rest and immediately following a maximal graded exercise test (GXT) on a treadmill. Key measured parameters included left ventricular (LV) dimensions, wall thickness, mass, ejection fraction (EF), stroke volume, and cardiac output. Data were analyzed using One-Way ANOVA or the Kruskal-Wallis test, with post-hoc analyses where appropriate. Results: While most parameters indicated a common adaptive athlete’s heart profile across all sports, significant sport-specific differences were found. Handball players exhibited a significantly higher heart rate post-GXT (180.11±9.45bpm) compared to both basketball and volleyball players (p<0.01). Furthermore, ejection fraction was significantly different between all groups at rest (p<0.05), with handball players also demonstrating a superior EF post-GXT compared to the other groups (p<0.05). A significant difference in left ventricular end-systolic dimension was also observed at rest between all three sports (p<0.001). Conclusion: The significant differences in post-exercise heart rate and ejection fraction, particularly in handball players, suggest that the pronounced upper-body and isometric components of handball impose a unique hemodynamic stress, leading to distinct functional adaptations. This underscores the importance of sport-specific interpretation of cardiac parameters in athletes.

Effective strategic leadership entails the implementation of diverse management strategies to develop a forward-looking perspective for the organization. Such a perspective enables the organization to adjust and remain competitive in a continuously changing economic and technological environment. This study aimed to design a strategic leadership model for sports federations in Iran. This study was applied in terms of purpose and adopted a mixed method with an exploratory approach. The statistical population of the qualitative study consisted of experts in the field of sports federations who were selected purposefully, and finally,  14 experts were selected as the research participants based on data saturation approach. The statistical population in the quantitative phase included 319 subjects (president, vice-president, secretary, and three members of the Board of Directors of sports federations) selected through stratified random sampling. The research data collection tool in the qualitative phase was a semi-structured interview whereas, in the quantitative section, a researcher-made questionnaire was developed from interviews' data. Data in the qualitative phase were analyzed using experts’ points of view, and in the quantitative phase, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, divergent and convergent validity, and structural equation tests were used. Moreover, the face, content, and construct validity of the instrument were confirmed. Finally, the model of strategic leadership of sport federations was presented with seven factors including strategic orientation, human resources development, learning strategy, team leadership, strategic control, effective interaction culture, and ethical strategy.

Isomorphism is the process by which organizations become more similar to each other over time. The purpose of this study was to explore how previous research has examined this phenomenon in sports organizations. We used a semi-systematic approach to conduct the research. In conducting and reporting the review we followed the four stages that are outlined by Snyder (2019). A total of 126 articles underwent an abstract review process, from which 26 articles were extracted. Finally, 13 qualitative articles that related to the research objectives were reviewed. We conducted a content analysis of 13 articles on isomorphism in sport. The articles were published in a variety of academic journals between 1990 and 2023. 8 main themes are presented: Type of isomorphism, Mechanism of isomorphism, Consequences of Isomorphism in Sport Organizations, Function of Isomorphism, Strategies for response to pressure, institutional logics, Application of Isomorphism in Sports Organizations, Managing Isomorphism in Sport Organizations. Results showed isomorphism in sport organizations is driven by three primary mechanisms: coercive isomorphism, mimetic isomorphism, and normative isomorphism. In conclusion, isomorphism is a complex phenomenon that can have both positive and negative consequences for sport organizations. By understanding the mechanisms of isomorphism and carefully managing its effects, sport organizations can leverage its benefits while maintaining their strategic autonomy and fostering a culture of innovation and adaptation.