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Anti-doping and legitimacy : an international survey of elite athletes’ perceptions

Efverström, Anna ; Ahmadi, Nader ; Hoff, David LU and Bäckström, Åsa (2016) In International Journal of Sport Policy p.491-514
Abstract

Anti-doping work is a comprehensive enterprise that entails control and governance of elite athletes’ everyday lives. However, in policy-making regarding doping and anti-doping in elite sports, the athletes’ perspective has not been considered adequately. Focusing on elite athletes’ perceptions of anti-doping as both principle and praxis, the study aimed to analyse how these perceptions can be understood from a legitimacy perspective. A survey study involving 261 elite athletes from 51 different countries and four international sports federations was conducted. The results showed that the athletes did not question the legitimacy of the rules, but had concerns about the legitimacy of the way the rules and principles are enforced in... (More)

Anti-doping work is a comprehensive enterprise that entails control and governance of elite athletes’ everyday lives. However, in policy-making regarding doping and anti-doping in elite sports, the athletes’ perspective has not been considered adequately. Focusing on elite athletes’ perceptions of anti-doping as both principle and praxis, the study aimed to analyse how these perceptions can be understood from a legitimacy perspective. A survey study involving 261 elite athletes from 51 different countries and four international sports federations was conducted. The results showed that the athletes did not question the legitimacy of the rules, but had concerns about the legitimacy of the way the rules and principles are enforced in practice, specifically with regard to matters of privacy, lack of efficiency and equal conditions as well as athletes’ involvement in the anti-doping work. The article describes how athletes’ perceptions of the legitimacy of anti-doping work constitute the basis for their willingness to follow regulations as well as a precondition for the work’s functionality and stability. In light of this finding, the article calls for the empowerment of athletes in anti-doping work.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Anti-doping policy, anti-doping practice, doping in sports, legitimacy, performance-enhancing drugs
in
International Journal of Sport Policy
pages
24 pages
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • wos:000390991800009
  • scopus:84969235547
ISSN
1940-6940
DOI
10.1080/19406940.2016.1170716
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b4998654-5f55-41a4-b334-24f3b13c803d
date added to LUP
2016-09-28 08:34:20
date last changed
2024-03-07 12:57:50
@article{b4998654-5f55-41a4-b334-24f3b13c803d,
  abstract     = {{<p>Anti-doping work is a comprehensive enterprise that entails control and governance of elite athletes’ everyday lives. However, in policy-making regarding doping and anti-doping in elite sports, the athletes’ perspective has not been considered adequately. Focusing on elite athletes’ perceptions of anti-doping as both principle and praxis, the study aimed to analyse how these perceptions can be understood from a legitimacy perspective. A survey study involving 261 elite athletes from 51 different countries and four international sports federations was conducted. The results showed that the athletes did not question the legitimacy of the rules, but had concerns about the legitimacy of the way the rules and principles are enforced in practice, specifically with regard to matters of privacy, lack of efficiency and equal conditions as well as athletes’ involvement in the anti-doping work. The article describes how athletes’ perceptions of the legitimacy of anti-doping work constitute the basis for their willingness to follow regulations as well as a precondition for the work’s functionality and stability. In light of this finding, the article calls for the empowerment of athletes in anti-doping work.</p>}},
  author       = {{Efverström, Anna and Ahmadi, Nader and Hoff, David and Bäckström, Åsa}},
  issn         = {{1940-6940}},
  keywords     = {{Anti-doping policy; anti-doping practice; doping in sports; legitimacy; performance-enhancing drugs}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{05}},
  pages        = {{491--514}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Sport Policy}},
  title        = {{Anti-doping and legitimacy : an international survey of elite athletes’ perceptions}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/19406940.2016.1170716}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/19406940.2016.1170716}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}