Enter exhibit 1: UC Berkeley Monopoly experiment

Without preparation performing at high altitude is torturous. I’ve seen enough rugby drama around Ellis Park at 1700 standard/5000 freedom meters. But again, pro sport is far beyond slapstick amateur teams crashing pubs night before the game.

In rugby that’s quite a common thing in South Africa. Pole jumps in Brazil are slightly higher due to lower gravity. What’s the problem here? If you are a pro footballer in 2026, and you care about your sport, you know it and condition yourself accordingly.