By Chris Burns,Maria Ortega
Copyright walesonline
China could use data from athletes including Jannik Sinner for military reasons, it has been claimed. The revelation claims that the Chinese military could hypothetically use such information to aid in the training of an army of enhanced soldiers. The investigation, led by Hunterbrook Media and journalist Pablo Torre, centres on electronic headbands from BrainCo, known as FocusCalm. BrainCo have claimed that information data is deleted after each use, according to Spanish newspaper 20minutos . Nevertheless, the devices are used by top-tier athletes to sharpen focus, boost overall mental performance, and gauge relaxation levels. The headband functions similarly to headphones, recording brain waves. In addition to four-time Grand Slam winner Sinner , Wimbledon champion Iga Swiatek was also named in the report. Formula One star Charles Leclerc, members of Italy’s Olympic teams, and even several unnamed Manchester City players have also reportedly used the technology. FocusCalm’s parent company, BrainCo, which was initially established at Harvard before relocating to China, develops the headbands. Investigators allege that the firm has received financial backing from groups linked to the Chinese government, as well as advanced robotics companies with ties to the military, reports the Express . These allegations have ignited concerns that data gathered from world-class athletes could be harnessed to produce a generation of soldiers possessing the mental sharpness of some of the world’s top sports stars. In response to the report, BrainCo stated that the information is erased after each use. However, its privacy policy does suggest that it retains user data. Reports suggest that the data collected from these headbands could be used to study how soldiers might enhance their concentration under pressure, reaction times, or mental resilience in intense military situations. The headbands were introduced by Dr Riccardo Ceccarelli, who confirmed at the time that this data was stored in the cloud. This revelation sparked concerns about who might have access to such sensitive information. In 2019, it was reported that the data collected included a “massive amount” of brain recordings. However, top athletes weren’t the only ones targeted; university students were also involved. Sinner’s team has reportedly declined to comment on the issue.
