Athletes' perceptions of anti-doping sanctions: the ban from sport versus social, financial and self-imposed sanctions
Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
Today the main doping deterrence strategy is to ban athletes from sport if caught. This study examines whether Danish elite athletes perceive the ban as a deterrent and how they evaluate social, self-imposed and financial sanctions compared with the ban. Questionnaires were emailed to elite athletes from 40 sports (N = 645; response rate, 43%). Results showed that 78% of athletes regarded the ban as a deterrent. Older male athletes, however, did so to a lesser degree. Seventy-seven per cent, regardless of gender, age, sport type and previous experience of doping testing, viewed social sanctions as a greater deterrent than the ban. Many also considered self-imposed sanctions (54%) and financial consequences (47%) a greater deterrent. Four per cent considered neither the ban nor the presented alternatives a deterrent. The findings indicate that the ban from sport deters doping. Nevertheless, other deterrents seem to affect athletes more. The findings can be used to address future anti-doping education programmes.
Original language | English |
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Journal | Sport in Society |
Volume | 18 |
Issue number | 3 |
Pages (from-to) | 364-384 |
Number of pages | 21 |
ISSN | 1743-0437 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |
ID: 127984986