Doping in Sport—Attitudes of Physical Trainers Students Regarding the Use of Prohibited Substances Increasing Performance

Magdalena Zmuda Palka, Monika Bigosińska, Matylda Siwek, Boryana Angelova-Igova and Dawid Konrad Mucha ()
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Magdalena Zmuda Palka: Department of Humanities, Section of Pedagogy, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, The University of the Physical Education in Krakow, 31-571 Krakow, Poland
Monika Bigosińska: Institute of Physical Culture, State University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, 33-300 Nowy Sącz, Poland
Matylda Siwek: Department of Tourism and Regional Studies, Institute of Law, Economics and Administration, Pedagogical University of Krakow, 30-084 Krakow, Poland
Boryana Angelova-Igova: National Sports Academy Vassil Levski, Philosophy and Sociology of Sport, 1700 Sophia, Bulgaria
Dawid Konrad Mucha: Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski Krakow University, 30-705 Kraków, Poland

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 5, 1-9

Abstract: Background: The popularity of using the advice of a personal trainer is increasing in Poland and currently most gyms offer the possibility of training under the supervision of a professional. Personal trainers present a multifaceted nature into physical activity and become their clients’ guides in achieving sporting goals. Physical trainers also work in sports clubs and supervise the training of people professionally involved in sport. Aim: Given the professional role that they play, this article aimed to analyze the knowledge and attitudes of personal trainers towards using prohibited measures to improve performance in sport, as well as counteraction measures. Methods: The study used a questionnaire created by the authors containing closed, semi-open, and open questions. Results: The results of the presented research indicate that most physical trainers and students educated in this field have a negative attitude towards the use of prohibited measures that increase performance but they noticed that doping was common in sport by 88.51% respondents. In the group of personal trainers, the majority (87.14%) admitted that good results in sport could be achieved without the use of doping. They stated that it was unfair (25%), contrary to the fair play principle—16%, while over 11% indicated this as cheating. Only 6% of people pointed out that it was legally prohibited and 3% that it was harmful. These results show that 10.13% of all respondents believe that the use of doping is a necessity to achieve very good results in sport. Conclusions: The availability of doping substances is statistically correlated with the question of persuading to use doping in both groups of trainers and students and some people justify the use of doping. The research proved that the personal trainers’ level of knowledge on doping is still insufficient.

Keywords: physical trainer; Poland; doping; performance-enhancing substances; recreational drug (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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