Secondary socialization and internalization of doping norms in road cycling: the case of Belgium, France and Switzerland

Summary

This research report focuses on the culture of young Belgian, French and Swiss road cyclists aged 18 to 23, on the way to becoming professionals or who are already professionals. The main goal is to understand and compare the effects of various forms of socialization of young cyclists on their attitude towards doping. This stage of the career has been largely neglected although it constitutes an essential phase in understanding the consumption of prohibited substances. Indeed, this young cyclist’s exposure to a new environment and a new professional approach is rather overwhelming, offering both a potential career and profits, and attendant risks. The goal of this research is to understand whether the relationship with pharmacology and doping evolves and if approaches to organization and support for the young athletes have an impact on their tendency to consume these substances.

Methodology

70 semi‐directed interviews were conduceted in the cycling milieu. The sample is comprised of: ‐ 22 young cyclists ‐ 22 former professional cyclists ‐ 6 coaches ‐ 5 doctors ‐ 10 sports managers/cyclists’ managers ‐ 5 other interviewees. The interviews were anonymous and were transcribed in their entirety. The interview content was analyzed by theme, employing an interview guide, and the relative data for each country were subsequently compared.

Results

Actors in the cycling milieu describe very significant changes in discourse that seem to reflect an evolution in the way doping is perceived. The transformation of modes of support by teams deliberately invested in the battle against doping has clear consequences. In well‐ supported teams, doping is no longer a collective practice, as it used to be. Therefore, the cyclist culture has changed significantly but this does not mean that doping has been eradicated and that the temptation to consume these substances does not exist. Yet the practice of doping is certainly rare for “strongly supportive” teams and this can only be an individual practice in other teams. These transformations in the cyclist culture do not at all indicate that other teams’ practices, especially in other countries, have evolved in the same way, nor that older cyclists in the most highly ranked professional teams have changed in a similar fashion.

Significance for Clean Sport

While transitioning to a team with a different stance on doping doesn't guarantee the prevention of cyclists consuming banned substances, it holds significant implications for anti-doping. The coaching methodologies, patterns of legal substance consumption, perceptions of doping, and the professional uncertainty among cyclists are influential factors. Particularly within less supportive teams, these factors may contribute to a nuanced perception of doping, shaped by ambivalent standards. Recognizing and addressing these complexities is crucial for advancing anti-doping initiatives and fostering an environment that discourages illicit substance use in the realm of cycling.

Related publications
Carrière sportive et socialisation secondaire en cyclisme sur route: les cas de la Belgique, la France et la Suisse

Final report only available in French