Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Faculty of Sport Management, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
2 Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Management, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: The present study investigates the perceptions and knowledge related to doping among elite disabled athletes Iran.
Methods: The research method used in this study was qualitative (thematic analysis) and exploratory in nature, and was conducted in a field setting. Participants in the study (16 individuals) were elite disabled athletes who were members of the national team and had experience in Paralympic competitions. These participants were selected using purposive sampling and snowball sampling techniques until theoretical saturation was reached. The data collection tool was a semi-structured interview, and the data obtained from the interviews were analyzed using coding techniques. The validity and reliability of the interviews were assessed using established methods.
Results: The results of the study led to the identification of 21 factors, including cheating in classification and ineffective systems in the management factor, financial problems, lack of self-confidence and information in the personal factor, and coach ignorance and doping drugs in the environmental factor, in the perceptions and knowledge related to doping among elite disabled athletes.
Conclusion: Based on the results of the study, it can be concluded that the management, personal, and environmental factors have a significant impact on the perceptions and knowledge related to doping among disabled athletes. Therefore, it is recommended that managers and officials plan to prevent doping among disabled athletes and improve their understanding of the disadvantages of this phenomenon based on the above results.
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