Science at UM [S05-ep08]: When sports influence the sex of babies

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

This week on A l’UM la science, François Favier, researcher at the Euromovlaboratory, tells us how high-level sports can influence the probability 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 playing a high-level sport influence the sex of the baby?

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

In his latest publication, our guest highlighted 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, stay with us and you'll learn a lot.

François Favier is a researcher at Euromov. He published an article in Scientific Reports entitled: Effects of sports disciplines on the sex ratio of children of high-level athletes: an observational study.

In the second part of the program, we are rebroadcasting a report filmed at Euromov. Located on the campus of the UFR Staps, this laboratory studies the identification of motor signatures of health, in other words, how physiological, neuromuscular, sensorimotor, and other markers constitute a true behavioral map. On the I-Mose simulation platform, Stéphane Perrey, Professor Director of Euromov, introduces us to the flying carpet.

At UM Science, you have the program, so let's get started!

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

Listen to the program “A l’UM la science” on Divergence FM 93.9