UM atUM [S05-ep08]: When Sports Influence the Sex of Babies

[Podcast] - Published on January 30, 2026 in Science and Society, Sports

This week on "UM atUM ," François Favier, a researcher at the Euromov, tells us how competing at a high level in sports can influence the likelihood of athletes having a boy or a girl. The report also takes us to Euromov, where Stéphane Perrey introduces us to the “flying carpet.” A program broadcast every Wednesday on Divergence.

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Does competing at a high level in sports affect the baby's gender?

Zidane: 4 sons;
Laure Manaudou: 1 daughter, 2 sons;
Gaël Monfils: 1 daughter;
Clarisse Agbegnenou: 1 daughter;
Tony Parker: 2 sons;
Elodie Clouvel: 1 daughter;
Michael Phelps: 4 boys;
Marie-Josée Perec: 1 son;
Tiger Woods: 1 boy, 1 girl;

In his latest post, our guest pointed out that the sport practiced by elite athletes could influence the likelihood of having a boy or a girl.

So if you still thought that only the sperm determined the sex of the fetus, stick around—you’re going to learn a lot.

François Favier is a researcher at Euromov; he published an article in *Scientific Reports* titled: “Effects of sports disciplines on the sex ratio of children of elite athletes: an observational study.”

In the second half of the program, we’re rebroadcasting a report filmed at Euromov. Located on the UFR Staps campus, this laboratory studies the identification of motor signatures of health—in other words, how physiological, neuromuscular, and sensorimotor markers, among others, form a comprehensive behavioral profile. On the I-Mose simulation platform, Stéphane Perrey, Professor Director of Euromov, introduces us to the “flying carpet.”

AtUM , you’ve got the program—let’s get started!

Co-production: Divergence FM / University of Montpellier
Host: Lucie Lecherbonnier
Interview: Lucie Lecherbonnier / Aline Périault
Director: Bruno Bertrand

Tune in to the show “AUM science” on Divergence FM 93.9