Athletes' perceptions of anti-doping sanctions: the ban from sport versus social, financial and self-imposed sanctions

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Overbye, Marie
  • Anne-Marie Elbe
  • Mette Lykke Knudsen
  • Gertrud Ursula Pfister
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 languageEnglish
JournalSport in Society
Volume18
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)364-384
Number of pages21
ISSN1743-0437
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015

ID: 127984986