M.N. Pukhovskaya¹
PhD, Associate Professor M.A. Pakhnotskaya²
E.A. Khristenko¹
D.V. Klimkina^1
1Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, Moscow
²World Athletics Association (World Athletics)

Keywords: doping, anti-doping culture, questionnaire survey, university sports.

Background. Global anti-doping initiatives are relatively new as they were formally started since the first World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) was adopted in 2003, and this may be one of the explanations for the still poor doping awareness in athletic communities, sports clubs, federations and physical education and sports institutions – that need to be persistently updated on the key anti-doping provisions and potential liability for violations of the valid anti-doping codes. In 2021, a new WADA Education Standard came into force to facilitate the anti-doping culture building initiatives in sports. This is the reason why the modern anti-doping education system reports a growing need for new theoretically grounded anti-doping education methods.

Objective of the study was to test benefits of a new anti-doping education model for economic university athletes.

Methods and structure of the study The anti-doping education model testing experiment was run at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in cooperation with RUSADA, with the Physical education Department faculty trained and certified by RUSADA for anti-doping education service to sporting students. The model offered lectures in anti-doping theory, practical workshops and progress tests. The theoretical course offers the following topics: "Anti-doping movement history", "Russia’s contribution to international sports and Olympic movement", "Global Olympic movement as university sporting culture formation factor ", and "Student sports history, progress and present situation”. And the methodological and practical course includes: "Anti-doping rules", "Doping control procedure", "Family role in the AC formation process", and "Doping control psychology in sports". The progress tests were run in the relevant Google format upon completion of every topic, followed by an online training and certification by RUSADA. On the whole for 2018-2020 the anti-doping education course was completed by the 3353 university athletes aged 18-12 years from the 1-3^rd year flows of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

Results and discussion. Given on Figures 1 and 2 are the anti-doping knowledge test data of the sample.

Figure 1. Anti-doping knowledge test data of the sample

It should be mentioned that: (1) 2435 students (72.62%) were tested excellent on the anti-doping knowledge scale scoring 9-10 points; (2) 755 students (22.52%) were tested good and satisfactory with 7-8 points; and; (3) 163 students (3.66%) were tested low and poor with 5-6 point scores. We also profiled the key reasons for doping in sports from the anti-doping educational and psychological service standpoints: see Figure 2.

Figure 2. Reasons for doping in sports reported by the sample

1 Competitive failure

2 Belief that doping is an integral part of modern sports

3 Neglect of health risks

4 Pressure from coach, family and friends

5 All the above

Having analyzed the questionnaire survey data, we found 91.3% of the sample giving the following doping explanations: competitive failures, belief that doping is an integral part of modern sports, neglect of health risks, and pressure from coach, family and friends. Therefore, the psychological and pedagogical anti-doping service to athletes shall be ranked on top of the modern sports priorities.

Conclusion. Global communities are increasingly concerned with the doping issues in sports and, hence, the demand for modern anti-doping education service in the national physical education and sport sectors has been growing lately. Our questionnaire survey and anti-doping education model tests showed benefits of the anti-doping training for sporting university students in the anti-doping culture formation and healthy lifestyle promotion domains.

References

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Corresponding author: andryushenko-lil@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to test benefits of a new anti-doping education model for economic university athletes.

Methods and structure of the study. The anti-doping education model testing experiment was run at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics in cooperation with RUSADA. The model offered lectures in anti-doping theory, practical workshops and progress tests. On the whole for 2018-2020 the anti-doping education course was completed by the 3353 university athletes aged 18-12 years from the 1-3^rd year flows of the Plekhanov Russian University of Economics.

Results and conclusion. Having analyzed the survey data, we found 91.3% of respondents holding to the following doping explanations: competitive failures, belief that doping is an integral part of modern sports, neglect of health risks, and pressure from coach, family and friends. Therefore, the psychological and pedagogical anti-doping service to athletes shall be ranked on top of the modern sports priorities. The progress tests, questionnaire survey and anti-doping education model tests showed benefits of the anti-doping training for sporting university students in the anti-doping culture formation and healthy lifestyle promotion domains.