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Affiliation
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Sports Medicine Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. |
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Abstract
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BACKGROUND: Doping in young athletes at present is on escalation. A few doping cases involving athletes from South East Asia (SEA) countries have been reported. The objective of this study is to determine current perceived doping and anti-doping climate in Malaysia through an exploration of doping-related knowledge, perception and beliefs among the university athletes.
METHODS: A survey was conducted during the Malaysian Universities Games in Kuala Lumpur 2014. A total of 614 athletes completed the questionnaires on perception, specific knowledge, environment, behaviour and beliefs towards doping.
RESULTS: From this survey, we found that their knowledge about doping and anti-doping was poor, they have misguided beliefs and perception about doping, and their environment seems to be favorable for performance enhancing substances usage in the future. We grouped the athletes based on their doping's environment into Ultraclean, Potential and High risk group; and the results showed that they have a significant relationship with their knowledge, beliefs and perception about doping in sports, p<0.001. About 1.5-1.8% of the studied athletes have positive behaviour towards doping practice; doping use, χ2 =24.6(2) P<0.001 and doping willingness, χ2 =17.15(2) P<0.001.
CONCLUSIONS: Doping behaviour and doping risks in this region are still under-studied. Hence, we recommended that every South East Asia countries would identify the potential risks of doping among their young athletes, and collectively collaborating in managing doping issues involving this region. Special attention should be given to doping environment as it has negative influences on athletes behaviour towards doping.
Language: en |