@article{ref1,
title="Context matters: athletes' perception of dopers' values, actions and vulnerabilities",
journal="Frontiers in sports and active living",
year="2023",
author="Veltmaat, Annalena and Dreiskämper, Dennis and Brueckner, Sebastian and Bondarev, Dmitriy and Heyes, Andrew and Barkoukis, Vassilis and Elbe, Anne-Marie and Lazuras, Lambros and De Maria, Alessandra and Zelli, Arnaldo and Petroczi, Andrea",
volume="5",
number="",
pages="e1229679-e1229679",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Although athletes seem to hold uniform views towards non-dopers, their perception of dopers is more nuanced, reflecting positive and negative attributes. Research also indicates that rarely a single factor can explain doping, but a host of reasons that intertwine. A holistic understanding of how values play a role in decisions in anti-doping and the elements that influence athletes' doping vulnerability is timely and warranted. <br><br>METHODS: We recruited elite athletes from 13 countries representing 27 sports at a national or international level (N = 60) to participate as part of a larger research project. Data were collected via focus group interviews focusing on values, value priorities and perceptions about the role of values in doping as a phenomenon and in dopers' actions. Data were analysed using iterative thematic analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: Three themes were identified: (1) athletes' personal stance on doping, (2) dopers in the eyes of the anti-doping-compliant athletes, and (3) doping vulnerability is a balance. Athletes in this study strongly opposed doping but showed empathy and understanding toward athletes who doped under certain circumstances. Furthermore, athletes believed that &quot;clean&quot; and &quot;doping&quot; athletes are not always distinguished by the values they hold, leading to the realisation that all athletes can be vulnerable to doping at some point. This vulnerability is a balance between risks and protective factors in a complex interaction between environmental, personal, and situational influences. Each element (e.g., values, environment) can be a motivator or a barrier. Consequently, doping vulnerability is highly idiosyncratic and dynamic. <br><br>CONCLUSION: If doping is not due to a lack of moral values but the consequences of combined risk factors that override the guiding function of values, then doping can happen to anyone, &quot;good&quot; athletes included. Developers and facilitators of anti-doping education programmes are advised to embrace this important aspect. The results also contribute to developing the doping vulnerability concept as a balance between risks and protective factors and draw attention to the clean athlete vulnerability, which is rooted in the combination of strategic performance enhancement via non-prohibited means, their exposure to anti-doping requirements and the constant high level of suspicion that surrounds them.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2624-9367",
doi="10.3389/fspor.2023.1229679",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fspor.2023.1229679"
}