In force Publication date 31 Oct 10
Global evaluation of the anti-doping program: Proposed by an international federation
Project description
Summary
The study assesses the level of approval of anti-doping interventions in a sample of elite biathletes. Through a questionnaire, it ascertains that the biathletes are, overall, accepting of said interventions, restrictions that anti-doping places on their day-to-day activities, and concerns about their safety.
Methodology
To carry out the study, the researchers administered a questionnaire to two hundred and forty-four (244) elite biathletes, attempting to see their attitudes towards anti-doping interventions and to determine the level of awareness regarding anti-doping and the procedures implemented to prevent doping from happening. The questionnaire’s structure encompassed three areas identified through factor analysis, i.e., safety, acceptance, and satisfaction, and assessed the perception of protection from cheating, the level of approval of the characteristics of anti-doping interventions that limit day-to-day activities, and the level of satisfaction with the current functioning of the process and rules. Then, the scores for each of the areas and the overall score were calculated.
Results
The results of the study showed that the biathletes were satisfied with anti-doping interventions and supported restrictions and safety concerns, attesting to the positive attitude towards the fight against doping. The study also underscored the welcoming attitude towards the interventions themselves that prevailed among the surveyed athletes, and confirmed the positive impact of knowledge of the rules on the attitudes toward anti-doping.
Significance for Clean Sport
The questionnaire developed for the purposes of the study is not specific to biathlon, allowing for other International Federations (IFs) to use it to assess the level of acceptance of anti-doping procedures among the athletes under their jurisdictions. In addition, wider recognition of the scale by IFs could lead to insightful comparisons between settings.
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