Shaping the next generation of athlete support personnel in Spain: integrating a multi-modal anti-doping education program in bachelor’s degree in sports sciences
Abstract
Athlete Support Personnel – ASP- (e.g., Coaches, Physiotherapists, Nutritionists) play a crucial role in shaping athletes’ decision to use prohibited performance enhancing substances. Many ASP will study a sports sciences degree prior to assisting athletes. However, the curricula of bachelor’s degree programs in Sports Sciences seldom include dedicated academic training on anti-doping regulations or doping prevention strategies. This study assessed the effectiveness of an anti-doping education program, integrated into the Sports Sciences bachelor’s curriculum of a Spanish university, in improving students’ knowledge and retention of anti-doping principles. 81 bachelor’s students in Sports Science participated in a comprehensive multi-component educa- tional intervention that included a 6-h lecture series on doping, anti-doping regulations, a 2-hour seminar on anti-doping testing procedures, a 2-h session focused on the risks associated with supplementation and the completion of a 20-h certified online course provided by the Spanish Anti-Doping Commission on the role of ASP to prevent doping. An adapted version of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Play True Quiz, consisting of 37 multiple-choice and true/false questions, was administered at three time points: before the intervention, immediately after, and at a six-month follow-up. Anti-doping knowledge measured with the questionnaire improved significantly following the intervention (from 62.2 ± 10.2 to 76.1 ± 12.5 points; p < 0.001). Although a decline was observed at the six-month follow-up, scores remained significantly higher than baseline (69.5 ± 11.3 points; p < 0.001). In conclusion, a structured, muti-modal anti-doping education program effectively improved anti-doping knowledge among Spanish bachelor’s students in Sports Sciences, with knowledge retention persisting over six months.
Methodology
Step 1
Sample selectionUndergraduate Sports Science students at a Spanish university were invited to participate.
Step 2
Baseline Knowledge AssessmentAdministered an adapted WADA Play True Quiz to evaluate initial anti-doping knowledge.
Step 3
Multi-Modal Educational InterventionDelivered a four-module program combining lectures, seminars, and a 20-hour certified online course.
Step 4
Immediate Post-Intervention AssessmentRe-administered the WADA Play True Quiz immediately after the intervention.
Step 5
Six-Month Follow-up AssessmentRe-administered the WADA Play True Quiz six months post-intervention to assess knowledge retention.
Step 6
Data AnalysisUtilized SPSS 27 for statistical analysis, including repeated-measures ANOVA and Pearson's correlation.
Key Findings
Visual Data
Top Improvements in Anti-Doping Knowledge by Question Topic (Pre- vs. Post-Intervention)
Athlete Responsibility (Possession)
Athlete Sanctioning (Banned Personnel)
Testing Procedures (Sample Storage)
Key anti-doping concepts, such as athlete responsibility for prohibited substances and consequences of associating with banned personnel, saw the most significant knowledge gains after the education program.
Insights
Efficacy of Blended Pedagogical Framework
Efficacy of Blended Pedagogical Framework: The novel comprehensive approach, combining didactic instruction, experiential learning, inquiry-based learning, and self-directed digital education, proved effective in enhancing both cognitive and ethical competencies.Significant and Lasting Knowledge Improvement
The program led to immediate significant knowledge gains, which were retained significantly above baseline even after six months, confirming its positive long-term impact on future Athlete Support Personnel (ASP).Importance of Structured, Context-Specific Education
Importance of Structured, Context-Specific Education: Effective anti-doping education must be integrated into university curricula, be context-specific, and go beyond factual delivery to cultivate ethical responsibility and decision-making confidence.Addressing a Critical Educational Gap
The study confirms a moderate and unsatisfactory baseline knowledge level among Sports Science students, highlighting a systemic educational gap that structured anti-doping programs can effectively fill.Beyond Knowledge: Motivation and Opportunity
Beyond Knowledge: Motivation and Opportunity: While knowledge is crucial, its partial decline at six months suggests that sustained knowledge retention requires programs that also address learners' motivation and opportunities, as highlighted by the COM-B model.Conclusion
The multi-modal anti-doping education program significantly improved the knowledge of undergraduate Sports Science students, with partial retention of learning after six months. These results highlight the importance of integrating structured and continuous anti-doping education into university curricula, focusing on ASP. Additionally, it seeks to strengthen the competencies of future ASP, particularly coaches, to promote a culture of clean sport, and align academic programs with international standards set by the WADA.
Glossary
Professionals such as coaches, physiotherapists, and nutritionists who assist athletes and significantly influence their decisions regarding sport.
Breaches of anti-doping rules, which can include the use or possession of banned substances and methods, trafficking, tampering, or complicity.
A permit allowing an athlete to use a prohibited substance or method for a medical condition, granted under specific criteria.
The international independent agency responsible for promoting, coordinating, and monitoring the fight against doping in sport.
An educational tool developed by WADA consisting of multiple-choice and true/false questions to test and improve knowledge of anti-doping principles.
Research Impact
13/11/2025
This research provides a robust model for integrating anti-doping education into university curricula, directly empowering future Athlete Support Personnel to foster clean sport and protect athlete welfare globally.
