What will motivate this year's Olympic athletes to avoid drugs?

London 2012 is set to host one of the most rigorous drug testing regimes ever seen. Sadly, the inevitable discovery of substance use is likely to send mixed messages to young sport enthusiasts. Meanwhile, a UK study investigated athletes’ attitudes, beliefs and willingness to participate in performance enhancement in sport. Athletes were most willing to use a banned substance if performance dipped, funding was under threat, injury occurred before a major competition and if they believed other athletes were getting away with substance use. Coaches were also found to be highly influential. The study highlights the need for carefully targeted prevention programmes rather than over-reliance on drug testing.

Links:

• Study reveals limitations of drug testing policy. Leeds Metropolitan University

• London 2012: technology and science erode march stolen by drugs cheats. The Guardian