Discussion: Yeesh.

I wonder what kind of evidence there is for requiring such broad-based extensive testing of athletes. The yield has to be exceptionally low. Surely there's a more useful way to expend finite health care budgets...

I'd suggest the yield is negative, given that such onerous requirements (do you need to go through this to do any sort of competition in France?) will certainly significantly reduce sports participation in France, with the loss of associated benefits to the health of the population.

(What's the driver behind having legal requirements like this? - is it doctors lobbying for a make-work scheme for themselves, or are there some other politics behind it?).

This only to run up a class. A normal doctor can give an ordinary med cert saying if you do normal sports activities you probably won't die. So it shouldn't affect participation much.

I know one French orienteer who gave up competing because, as a national squad athlete, he underwent deeper probing and they found some heart anomalies that could kill him.

I don't know whether an elite athlete really undergoes a lot more stress than an unfit person climbing five flights of stairs. Wil?