Knowledge, attitudes and practices of coaches belonging to different generations in relation to doping behavior of athletes

Summary

Tis research examines attitudes toward doping among coaches in Belarus. It intends to see whether the coaches’ age influences their perception of doping and whether there is a generation gap. The researchers found that most coaches in Belarus accept that some sports require athletes to dope to remain competitive; however, overall, the vast majority approve of education and wants to see more up-to-date information on anti-doping guiding their practices. 

Methodology

The study follows a cross-sectional research design. The researchers administered a questionnaire to four hundred (400) coaches across the country, concentrating on strength sports (i.e., martial arts, track and field, and weightlifting) and endurance sports (i.e., skiing, swimming, and rowing). The questionnaire measured the coaches’ attitudes toward doping and linked them to their age and generation. 

Results

The study found that more than sixty (60.1) percent of coaches in Belarus are convinced that in some sports, athletes cannot be competitive without doping. However, the researchers pointed out the fact that most of those coaches consider doping to be unfair and to have a negative effect on good sportsmanship. They also underscored a pronounced interest among coaches in receiving more advanced anti-doping education. Therefore, the study recommends introducing compulsory educational programs for athletes and their personnel to change the attitudes toward doping.

Significance for Clean Sport

This research can inform education programs for coaches in Belarus. It can help accentuate the role of preventing doping across different disciplines and inspire coaches to turn to up-to-date recommendations in the process of redefining their methods.