In force
Patterns of doping drug use among athletes using a helpline
Project description
Summary
Knowledge of the factors precipitating the adoption of products or processes prohibited only appears possible from detected or repentant athletes, which limits the understanding of a phenomenon affecting a very large audience of all levels of practice. The objective of the study is to show how “doped” athletes speaking anonymously through the mediation of the telephone provide a new avenue and conclusive for the knowledge of the factors precipitating the consumption of products or prohibited processes.
Methodology
The corpus of data originates from the population of callers collected at toll-free doping hotline number between September 1998 and 2006 corresponding to the inclusion criteria. The research is limited to athletes practicing cycling, bodybuilding or football having consumed prohibited products or having tested positive. The list of prohibited products is that of the French Ministry of Youth, Sports, and of Associative Life.
Results
Built on anonymity and volunteerism, this system facilitates the collection of testimonials from athletes who have utilized illicit substances. The methodology employed allowed for an exploration of experiences and the identification of factors predisposing individuals to doping within a given population. The study, based on quantity, enabled the establishment of a hierarchy of factors—an achievement not feasible in the context of traditional clinical studies.
Significance for Clean Sport
This study has the potential to illuminate the dynamics of psychological factors influencing doping behavior through telephone interviews. This entails tracing the consumption path, unveiling dynamics among athletes, with the aim of identifying psychological and social risk and protection factors. A deeper understanding of these dynamics in athletes' careers will optimize prevention tools and actions.
The full report is only available in French.