Citation

Payne GC, Payne RE, Farewell DM. BMJ 2008; 337: a2768.

Affiliation

Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University Hospital Wales, Heath Park, Cardiff CF14 4XW. garethpayne@doctors.org.uk

Comment In:

BMJ 2009;338:b39.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2008, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

19091757

PMCID

PMC2605615

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To explore the perceived wisdom that papal mortality is related to the success of the Welsh rugby union team.

DESIGN: Retrospective observational study of historical Vatican and sporting data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Papal deaths between 1883 and the present day.

RESULTS: There is no evidence of a link between papal deaths and any home nation grand slams (when one nation succeeds in beating all other competing teams in every match). There was, however, weak statistical evidence to support an association between Welsh performance and the number of papal deaths.

CONCLUSION: Given the dominant Welsh performances of 2008, the Vatican medical team should take special care of the pontiff this Christmas.

Language: en