Evaluations and attitudes of Slovenian football players regarding the use of performance-enhancing substances

Doping predstavlja kompleksno in pomembno vprašanje v svetu športa, ki zahteva resno obravnavo. V magistrskem delu so predstavljene glavne organizacije za boj proti dopingu tako v Sloveniji kot tudi v mednarodnem merilu. Prav tako je obravnavana zgodovina boja proti dopingu v Sloveniji, osnovne vrste prepovedanih substanc za izboljšanje zmogljivosti in potencialna tveganja za zdravje, povezana z njihovo uporabo. Magistrsko delo analizira tudi vpliv slovenske zakonodaje na to področje in podrobneje predstavi Mednarodno konvencijo proti dopingu v športu. Osrednji cilj tega magistrskega dela je pridobiti vpogled v stališča in mnenja slovenskih nogometašev glede uporabe dopinških substanc ter preučiti, kako dobro so informirani o tej problematiki. Raziskava se osredotoča na naslednje vidike: število nogometašev, ki uporabljajo doping, oceno stroge ali prizanesljive narave kazni za pozitiven test, moralno ali nemoralno dojemanje namerne uporabe dopinga, oceno števila nogometašev in trenerjev, ki naj bi uporabljali doping ali spodbujali njegovo uporabo, ter razmislek o možnosti uporabe varnih in poceni prepovedanih substanc, ki jih ni mogoče zaznati. Raziskava je potekala od julija do septembra 2023 in je zajela sodelovanje 130 nogometašev. Ugotovitve raziskave kažejo, da doping ni široko razširjen problem v Sloveniji, vendar pa tudi ni dovolj poznan. Anketirani so razdeljeni glede strogosti kazni za pozitiven test, v večini pa menijo, da je uporaba prepovedanih substanc nemoralna. Prav tako se je pokazalo, da le majhen odstotek nogometašev in trenerjev verjetno prakticira doping. Ob ponujeni možnosti uporabe varne in poceni prepovedane substance, ki je ni mogoče zaznati, bi se le majhen delež anketirancev resno odločil za njeno uporabo.Doping is a crucial and complex issue in the world of sports that deserves serious attention. The master\u27s thesis presents the main anti-doping organizations in Slovenia and worldwide, the history of this fight in Slovenia, and the main types of prohibited performance-enhancing substances and the health risks associated with their use. It also examines the extent to which Slovenian legislation regulates this area. Furthermore, it offers a more detailed insight into the International Convention against doping in sport. The master\u27s thesis was conducted with the aim of gaining insight into the viewpoints and perspectives of Slovenian football players regarding the use of these substances and how well-informed they are about them. The goal was to determine how many Slovenian football players use doping, whether Slovenian football players consider the penalties for a positive test to be strict or lenient, whether intentional doping use is considered moral or immoral in any circumstances, how many football players and coaches, according to the respondents\u27 opinions, use doping or encourage their players to use it, and how much consideration the respondents would give to the possibility of using a safe and inexpensive prohibited substance that cannot be detected. The survey, which was active from July to September 2023, involved 130 football players. The research showed that doping is not a widespread problem in Slovenia but is also not well-known. It was found that the respondents were divided on the strictness of penalties for a positive test, with the majority believing that the use of prohibited substances is immoral, and that only a small number of football players and coaches engage in doping practices. When presented with the option of using a safe and inexpensive prohibited substance, only a small number of respondents would give this offer serious consideration