Sources of Information about Prohibited Doping Substances for Elite Athletes in Nigeria

Abstract

Doping in sports, which is the use of performance- enhancing substance, is potentially harmful to the health of the athletes and is quite unethical because it gives them an unfair competitive edge. This practice is considered a deadly game by the national and international sports organizations. This paper therefore, focuses on the sources of information about doping substances for athletes. A total of 225 (two hundred and twenty five) athletes were sampled for the study from 8 (eight) States in Nigeria using simple, purposive and stratified random sampling techniques. Frequency counts, percentages an X2-test analysis were used to analyze the data collected at 0.05 level of significance. Findings revealed that co-athletes, coaches, other team officials and athletes’ support personnel were the main sources of information of performance enhancing substances for the athletes. Books, journals and magazines were also cited as sources of information for obtaining doping substances by the respondents. The study highlighted the strategies for the effective control of sources of awareness of doping in sport. Athletes should be protected and have support network to help cope with sport-related pressure and stress from co-athletes, team coaches and other athletes’ support personnel. They should be informed about the various consequences of doping substances before, during and after sports competitions. Job status of coaches should not be strictly based on positive performance outcome of the athletes.