Challenges to promoting health for amateur athletes through anti-doping policy. (4th May 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Henning, April
• Is Part Of: Drugs. Volume 24:Number 3(2017)
• Page Start: 306
• Page End: 313
• Publication Date: 2017-05-04
• Subjects: Anti-doping -- health -- sport -- amateur; Health education -- Periodicals; Medical policy -- Periodicals; Substance abuse -- Periodicals; Éducation sanitaire -- Périodiques; Politique sanitaire -- Périodiques; Polytoxicomanie -- Périodiques; 362.291705
• DOI: 10.1080/09687637.2016.1208732
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0968-7637

Abstract

Abstract: Anti-doping regulations are intended, at least in part, to promote the health of athletes. While most anti-doping efforts target elite and professional competitors, there have been recent moves by sport governing bodies to expand anti-doping testing to include amateur athletes. Drawing on previous critiques of anti-doping policies and illustrating cases, this article outlines five of the challenges to health promotion of applying the current detect and ban model to the amateur level of sport. I argue that the current approach is not effective and, in some ways, may undermine the goal of health promotion at the amateur level. In order to address these challenges, I propose alternative, health-centred strategies that focus on athlete empowerment and choice through critical awareness of a variety of substances, associated risks and rewards, and the role of expertise in decision-making.