Enquête onder topsporters over doping, dopingcontroles en medicijngebruik in de sport : evaluatie van de kennis en houding van topsporters over doping, dopingcontroles en medicijngebruik in de sport, alsmede hun oordeel over het voorlichtingsprogramma hieromtrent / S. de Groot, F. Hartgens, M.F. Zweers. – Rotterdam : Nederlands Centrum voor Dopingvraagstukken (NeCeDo), 1999. – 40 p. : fig.. – (NeCeDo praktijkpublikaties). – Uitg. in samenw. met Nationaal Olympisch Comité*Nationale Sport Federatie (NOC*NSF)
Met lit. opg. – Met samenvatting in het Engels
ISSN 1383-6730 ; 2
Het doel van deze enquete was voor het Nederlands Centrum voor Dopingvraagstukken (NeCeDo) tweeledig. Ten eerste was de enquete bedoeld om inzicht te krijgen in de huidige kennis en houding van topsporters over doping, dopingcontroles en medicijngebruik in de'sport. Ten tweede wilde het NeCeDo evalueren welke mening de topsporters over het voorlichtingsprogramma omtrent doping hebben, hoe de naamsbekendheid van het NeCeDo is en hoe de topsporters de dopingwaaier beoordelen.
Inhoud:
1. Samenvatting
2. Summary
3. Inleiding
4. Methoden
5. Resultaten
6. Discussie
7. Conclusie
8. Aanbevelingen
Summary:
Aim of the study:
For this study two main goals were set. Firstly, the study was performed to determine the knowledge and attitude of elite athletes about doping, doping tests and drug use. In the second place this investigation was pointed towards the opinion of the elite athletes regarding the education program of doping. Therefore, the following questions were formulated: a) How do elite athletes evaluate the doping education program? b) Are the elite athletes familiar with the Netherlands Centre for Doping Affairs (NeCeDo) and the doping guide and how do they assess this guide? c) Which groups (e.g. age, level of sport) need extra education concerning doping?
Methods:
The study was performed by means of a questionnaire. A total number of 1332 elite athletes, registered in the files of the Dutch Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF), received a questionnaire.
Results:
Subjects: A response rate of 44.7% was obtained. Most of the subjects were aged between 18 and 25 years (56.8%). The cooperating elite athletes performed their sport mainly at the A- (40.2%) or B2- level (44.8%). The majority of the respondents was supported by a national coach (59.8%), the individual/club trainer (55.5%), the individual/club coach (54.6%), the parents (44.5%) and a physical therapist (44.0%). A great part of the respondents (53.2%) had never experienced a doping test.
Knowledge: 69.7% of the respondents did not know that, even if the athlete doesn't agree with the doping test, he or she always has to sign the doping test form. 21.2% of the athletes were not aware that a refusal of a doping test may lead to a ban of the athlete. A majority did not know that dietary supplements (37.5%), cough mixture (19.2%), natural food products (41.4%) and drugs on doctors prescription (27.9%)
may contain substances of doping.
Attitude: Sixteen subjects (2.7%) admitted to have used a doping substance in the past. Nineteen respondents (3.2%) admitted to consider the use of performance enhancing drugs. One third of the respondents did not examine their own drugs with respect to doping regulations. A vast majority of the respondents (87.2%) indicated that there were no pressures present to use performance-enhancing drugs. In addition, a large majority (72.4%) indicated that there was no pressure concerning not using doping in the Netherlands. Most elite athletes advocated an increase in the number of doping tests (54.5%), of out-of-competition doping tests (46.2%) and of doping tests during important competitions (68.3%). To the opinion of, most respondents (67,9%) the punishments after a positive test result had to be more severe.
Education: Most elite athletes had received information of doping, doping tests and drug use from the NOC*NSF (51.3%), the national sport association (36.6%) and the NeCeDo (33.8%). The respondents were not well informed about the doping rules in the sport (52.1%), the procedure of doping tests (49.7%), use of drugs (64.2%) and about dietary supplements (74.2%). The youngest athletes (younger than 18 years) admitted to feel informed badly. For information about doping related subjects, the majority consulted to the doctor of their national team (44.2%). Older athletes (31 years and older) consulted their general practitioner about doping more frequently. The elite athletes appreciated to receive more information about doping regularly.
NeCeDo/Doping guide: Half of the respondents had never heard of the NeCeDo before they received the questionnaire. Those who knew the NeCeDo before, were made familiar by the NOC*NSF (75.1%). A majority of the athletes (53.4%) did not know how to contact the NeCeDo. Almost 55% of the respondents were familiar with the NeCeDo doping guide in a fan-shaped formation. 84% of them had received this doping guide, mainly via the NOC*NSF. Three quarter of the cooperating athletes was satisfied with the quality of the doping guide. Again the youngest athletes were less familiar with the NeCeDo and the doping guide.
Conclusions:
Overall, it can be concluded that the general knowledge of elite athletes concerning doping is not optimal and needs to be improved. Most of the athletes supported the idea of a more severe doping policy regarding the number of doping tests and penalties. Not all the respondents felt well informed about doping. Certain items, like dietary supplements and the use of drugs, need more attention. The NeCeDo was not very well known in the group of athletes. Not everybody knew how to contact the NeCeDo. The doping guide was evaluated rather well although several topics should be added or extended. Especially, the youngest group of elite athletes (below 18 years) requires more education.
Recommendations:
To increase the response rate of the survey it will be better to send the questionnaire to the elite athletes in the months November/December. Those months are quieter concerning competition or tournaments.
A great part of the athletes supported a more severe doping policy. The NOC*NSF and Dutch government have started a more sever doping policy. The youngest athletes (younger than 18) and the athletes of the lowest sport category are not well informed. Those groups need more information about doping. This might be realized by informing these groups about doping as soon as they receive their official B/C license of the NOC*NSF. An important way to inform the athletes seems to be via the sports associations (e.g. the associations magazine), at training hours and tournaments. Up to date information can be provided by a newsletter for the athletes supported by the NOC*NSF. The education program has to be objective and practical. The NeCeDo doping guide in a fan-shaped form provides a lot of information. According to the respondents the guide has to contain up to date information. This may be realized by releasing a new edition every year or by releasing some pages with the latest developments, which can be added to the doping guide. The terminology should be simple and unequivocal. Because the athletes would like to receive a lot of information about doping and the fan-shaped doping guide should stay handy-sized, it might be an interesting idea to release a more detailed book besides the doping guide. Furthermore, a number of athletes indicated interest in improving their knowledge about doping by means of a symposium or course. The education program should also be directed towards coaches, doctors et cetera.
Most of the athletes will first contact these persons with questions about doping. The NeCeDo is not very well known by the athletes. Therefore, the name and address of the NeCeDo should be written more prominent on the distributed information.
