Marie-Thérèse McMahon
University of Konstanz, Germany
Title: The Positive Influence of Higher Education on Doping Behaviors in Elite Athletes
Biography
Biography: Marie-Thérèse McMahon
Abstract
Use of doping agents amongst elite athletes remains widespread. Anti-doping educational strategies are currently very popular, striving to highlight the health risks involved and to discourage agent abuse. Reported prevalence remains high, indicating weaknesses in the effectiveness and timing of existing educational interventions to at-risk athletes. Education in general is shown to assist in developing defensive mechanisms required for navigating life’s many challenges. The impact of higher education on elite athlete doping behaviours has been rarely considered. 81 Olympic athletes, comprising the top world ranked male cyclists and rowers were researched. Using a mixed methods approach, information on the athletes’ doping history and their levels of education were collected by means of a qualitative questionnaire, official sporting bodies, autobiographies and biographies as well as personal interviews. The results showed that the education of the elite athlete to university level was statistically significantly associated with less doping activity (Fisher’s exact test, p=0.0001). The findings support previous findings on the enduring effects of educational enrichment to third level. The data suggests education to University level is a potential protective factor against doping. This study did not address what specific factors of a university education are critical in forming the decision not to dope. These factors should be investigated further in order to specifically target and exploit these in the prevention of doping.