Editing Mars effect (section)

=== CFEPP test ===
In 1994 the results of a major study undertaken by the Committee for the Study of Paranormal Phenomena (''Comité pour l’Étude des Phénomènes Paranormaux'', or CFEPP) in France found no evidence whatsoever of a "Mars Effect" in the births of athletes.<ref name="Frenchbook">Benski, et al. 1993, as published in ''The "Mars Effect": A French Test of Over 1,000 Sports Champions'', [[Prometheus Books]] (1996). {{ISBN|0-87975-988-7}}. page ref:13, 15</ref> The study had been proposed in 1982 and the committee had agreed in advance to use the protocol upon which Gauquelin insisted. The CFEPP report was “leaked” to the Dutch newspaper ''Trouw''.

In 1990 the CFEPP had issued a preliminary report on the study, which used 1,066 French sports champions, giving full data for the 1,066 as well as the names of 373 who fit the criteria but for whom birth times were unavailable, discussing methodology and listing data-selection criteria. In 1996 the report, with a commentary by J. W. Nienhuys and several letters from Gauquelin to the committee, was published in book form as ''The Mars Effect – A French Test of Over 1,000 Sports Champions''. The CFEPP stated that its experiment showed no effect and concluded that the effect was attributable to bias in Gauquelin's data selection, pointing to the suggestions made by Gauquelin to the committee for changes in their list of athletes.<ref name="Frenchbook" /> The CFEPP report was criticized by Suitbert Ertel on similar grounds as the American study – for including too many mediocre athletes – and also for using a too high chance-expectancy level.<ref>Ertel, S. "Update on the Mars effect", ''Skeptical Inquirer'', 1992, 16 (2), 150-160</ref> According to Ertel, a Mars effect could be detected by dividing the athletes into groups of eminence grading.