INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to identify the potential bias of the relative age effect (RAE) in French skiers (alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, biathlon, Nordic combined) and to propose a mathematical correction adjustment for such a bias. METHODS: All performances and birthdates of skiers on the national and international circuit were collected from the 2004 up to 2022. A goodness-of-fit chi-square test and the residuals were used to study the distribution of birth trimesters in youth competitors. A linear relationship between the distribution of performances and the months resulted in a calibration coefficient allowing to rebalance the performance by considering the effect of RAE. RESULTS: Individuals born at the beginning of the year were over-represented in the elite young selections in all disciplines for both genders. A coefficient based on the relationship between month of birth and performance adjusted individual performance and canceled out the effect of RAE. The results showed that RAE is present in French skiing. We present a method allowing to consider the effect of the RAE in the performances realized in each gender and discipline. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: This approach is linked to a comparative analysis between countries on the densities evolution of athlete versus performance level. This method allows coaches and performance managers to have a more objective opinion on performance and to reduce selection bias but also give information for structuration of a national detection model.
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