https://doi.org/10.53656/str2023-5s-9-imp

Резюме. The competition and the desire to win a medal nowadays leads to more and more disregard for the principle of “fair play”. The activity of the Anti-doping Center is aimed not only at inspections and punishments but also at prevention. The purpose of the present study is to investigate the influence of anti-doping controls and education on the number of violations and sanctions imposed on Bulgarian athletes. Methods. The study was carried out in the period 2014 – 2022 and includes official data from the Bulgarian Anti-Doping Center. In-competition and out-of-competition samples (urine and blood) conducted training for athletes and sports technicians, violations, and imposed sanctions for the research period will be analyzed. Mathematical-statistical methods: descriptive statistics and dynamic series analysis. Results. During the considered period, 1130±92 samples were taken, of which 66.5±12.7 were blood samples. Whereabouts failure by athletes and sports technicians are 5.6±2.8. The number of educated athletes, coaches, officials, and employees of the Anti-Doping Center in 2014 was 273 and will grow to 1,816 people in 2022. Conclusion: There is an increase in the number of tests performed in competitive and non-competitive situations. The prevention program has convincingly expanded the scope and number of trained athletes, officials, and staff over the years.

Ключови думи: anti-doping; test; prevention

Introduction

For athletes of all ages, the pursuit of excellence in sports is essential. Sometimes the drive for success can be so engrossing and compelling that a young person can easily lose sight of what is fair and right (Peteva, Ivanov 2016).

As technology advances, more and more different methods of abuse and doping in sports are known. According to Richardson et al. (2022), some of the commonly used methods are anthropometric manipulation (height/weight doping), genderbased doping, use of banned substances, force manipulation, power, and controller manipulation (data creation and modification), etc. In recent major sporting events such as the Olympic Games, and the World and European Championships, asthma has been noted as a common justification for the use of banned substances by elite athletes, according to TUE and medication use data (Allen et al. 2019).

Many anti-doping rule violations are due to ignorance, particularly among newcomers to sports, with their “accidental” intakes of untested drugs, etc. Sports professionals cannot but discuss these issues with different audiences (Gretsov et al. 2020). The development of educational materials has lagged. However educational programs, a web-based game format educational tool aimed at young athletes are both welcome attempts to improve the quality and quantity of educational material (Houlihan 2008).

An e-learning section is available on the website of the Bulgarian Anti-Doping Center (2023). Information is presented in six different ways, differentiated for athletes and administration. The anti-doping e-learning platform (ADeL) offers access to all topics related to clean sport and anti-doping; Anti-Doping Glossary; The Play True Quiz and challenge (an interactive computer game designed by the World Anti-Doping Agency to test knowledge about anti-doping); ADAMS Training is a great tool for novice users because it allows them to practice their skills without fearing they may do something wrong.

The competition and the desire to win a medal nowadays leads to more and more disregard for the principle of “fair play”. The activity of anti-doping agencies is aimed not only at inspections and punishments but also at prevention.

Purpose

The purpose of the present study is to investigate the influence of anti-doping controls and education on the number of violations and sanctions imposed on Bulgarian athletes.

Methods

The study was carried out in the period 2014 – 2022 and includes official data of the Bulgarian Anti-Doping Center. In-competition and out-of-competition samples (urine and blood) conducted training for athletes and sports technicians, violations, and imposed penalties for the research period will be analyzed.

Mathematical-statistical methods: descriptive statistics and dynamic series analysis. Data will be analyzed with MS Excel 365.

Results

The study covers the period before, during, and after two Olympic cycles (2014 – 2022). The data to be analyzed covers in-competition and out-of-competition testing. Due to the large time range covered by the study, large ranges of the data obtained for some of the indicators are also noticeable.

During the considered period, 1130±92 samples were taken, of which 66.5±12.7 were blood samples. Whereabouts failure by athletes and sports technicians are 5.6±2.8. The number of trained athletes, coaches, officials, and employees of the Anti-Doping Center in 2014 was 273 and will grow to 1,816 people in 2022.

It is of interest to us to examine the annual dynamics of the number of samples taken, effective sanctions, and conducted education in chronological order, considering the rate of development and the rate of growth on an annual basis. The values of the investigated indicators are summarized in (Table 2).

The total number of performed tests (in-competition and out-of-competition testing) reports a gradual increase until 2019. There was a subsequent decrease in the samples performed by 36.46%, which also covers the period of the first closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the Olympic Games in Tokyo and after them, an increase in the number of in-competition and out-of-competition testing of Bulgarian athletes was observed. The average development rate of the indicator is 1.05, and the average growth rate is 0.05.

On the other hand, the blood samples (in-competition and out-of-competition testing) after 2014 marked a steady increase over the years, and an average growth rate of 1.19 and an average growth rate of 0.19. A sustained increase in the dynamics of trained athletes, coaches, officials, and staff is reported. The prevention program implemented by the Bulgarian Anti-Doping Center reports a 10.52% drop in those trained during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020), followed by a 56% increase in 2021.

Adverse Analytical Findings persist over time, the only exception being 2016 with 5 results. Followed by a 120% increase in 2017. The average estimated growth rate is 0.96 and the average growth rate is -0.04 (Table 3).

The Whereabouts failure have a wave-like nature, which is also related to the specifics of the Olympic cycle. Most of the reported violations were in an Olympic or post-Olympic year. The average growth rate is 1.29, and the growth rate is 0.29. The non-analytical results that are reported are for the period Rio de Janeiro 2016 – Tokyo 2020. The effective sanctions imposed since 2018 show very high dynamics with a development rate of 1.64 and a growth rate of 0.64.

According to the dynamics of development and growth, the considered indicators can be divided into three groups:

1. With the greatest dynamics in growth – effective sanctions and educated athletes, coaches, officials, and staff.

2. With an average growth rate – the total number of samples were taken (urine and blood), blood samples and уhereabouts failure.

3. With little dynamics in growth - adverse analytical findings and non-analytical results.

Discussion

Houlihan (2008) outlines some of the main problems seen in education and information strategies. Educational strategies are underutilized and often simplistic. Few educational campaigns are specifically designed for young athletes. Educational campaigns are most effective when they are long-term and reinforced by the athlete's community (parents, peers, coaches, etc.).

For educational activity to be effective, support for athletes must be felt. Counseling on pressing issues should be clearly supportive, not punitive and edifying.

Even if doping control efforts are not always successful due to new technologies and unclear boundaries between prohibited and permitted substances – anti-doping efforts still act as deterrents (Gretsov et al. 2020).

The anti-doping educational mission is not only to spread facts and knowledge but also to contribute to the formation of true sporting values and cultures intolerant of doping. The usual conventional anti-doping education about the unhealthy and unsporting aspects of doping and fair sport is often ineffective in anti-doping education programs (Gretsov et al., 2020). There is an urgent need to strengthen educational activities on doping control among athletes, as most of their knowledge on this issue comes from questionable sources. In this context, the content of educational programs should be aimed at the formation of moral knowledge and moral reasoning processes, such as ethical arguments against doping in sports or the psychosocial consequences of doping (Sas-Nowosielski, Swiatkowska 2007).

Prevention is an activity that involves all participants (parents, peers, clubs, schools, and the media). The earlier training begins, the greater the likelihood of success. Interactive learning is recommended because it is more effective than passive learning (Houlihan 2008).

Conclusions

A permanent trend of increasing urine and blood samples, which are taken incompetition and out-of-competition periods, is reported. There has been a steady increase in trained athletes, officials, and staff over the years. Considering the average rate of growth and development over the years, three groups are distinguished - with the greatest, average, and little dynamics of development. The prevention program and the training that was conducted with all participants in the competition process (athletes, officials, and staff) fall into the first group - with the greatest dynamics and growth in development. The prevention program has convincingly expanded the scope and number of those trained.

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