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Attitudes of coaches towards doping
P Laure1, F Thouvenin, T Lecerf
1Faculté de Médecine, Laboratoire de Physiologie, Vandoeuvre, France. patrick.laure@wanadoo.fr
The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness
|April 24, 2001
Summary
Professional coaches show concerning attitudes towards athlete doping, with many believing it poses no health risk or is necessary for success. Despite recognizing their role, most feel ill-equipped for doping prevention, highlighting a need for enhanced coach education.
Area of Science:
- Sports Science
- Doping Prevention
- Coaching Ethics
Background:
- Coaches are key figures in anti-doping efforts.
- Understanding coaches' perspectives on doping is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine professional coaches' attitudes towards doping.
- To assess how coaches manage doping issues in their daily practice.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study utilizing self-reporting questionnaires.
- Questionnaires were distributed to 800 coaches in the Lorraine region, France, with 260 responses.
Main Results:
- A significant percentage of coaches perceive doping as low-risk or essential for athletic success.
- Over 5% of coaches admitted to using doping substances, and 13.5% reported athletes being prompted to use them.
- Most coaches (80.7%) find current doping prevention ineffective and feel inadequately trained, despite acknowledging their role (98.1%).
Conclusions:
- Professional coaches currently appear ineffective in preventing doping.
- There is a clear need for improved education and training for coaches on doping prevention.