DOPING AMONG MINNOWS IN GHANA: IS ELIGIBILITY THE MAIN ISSUE?

Authors

  • Nathanael Adu Mampong Technical College of Education, Department of Science Education, Ghana
  • Emmanuel Aboagye Akrokerri College of Education, Department of Physical Education, Ghana
  • Stephen Kyenkyehene Addae St. Monica’s College of Education, Department of Science Education,

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejpe.v9i4.4701

Keywords:

inadvertent doping, minnows, performance-enhancing, former athletes

Abstract

Despite the use of drugs among amateur athletes linked to inadvertent doping, there is a gap in the literature about other factors that prompted doping behaviour. The present study examined if eligibility to participate in sports competitions is the main cause of doping among young athletes in Ghana. To achieve this, an interpretative qualitative research design approach was adopted. Purposive and snowballing sampling techniques were employed to recruit 10 former basic school student-athletes who admitted to using drugs to participate in school competitions. Semi-structured interviews were the instruments used to collect the data to answer the research questions. Thematic analysis was employed after the data have been transcribed verbatim. The findings of the study revealed that students take performance-enhancing drugs to “become eligible to participate in the competitions”, “to improve stamina”, and “gives them extra energy to perform without getting tired”. Again, it was found that the former student-athletes were unaware of the effects of taking the drugs. The study further exposed some effects of performance-enhancing drugs which included addictiveness and physiological health challenges on the individual. The study recommends that stakeholders should educate minnows on the adverse effects of taking drugs without a doctor’s prescription. Again, age should be used when organising competitions for student-athletes at the basic school level rather than weight, height and facial description.

 

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Author Biographies

  • Nathanael Adu, Mampong Technical College of Education, Department of Science Education, Ghana

    Nathanael Adu is a Physical Education Tutor and Mampong Technical College of Education. He holds two Master’s degrees: an MPhil in Physical Education and M.A in Health Education and Promotion and he is the Head of the Department for science education. His research interest focus on Physical Education Curriculum sports management and school health. He has participated in articles on covid-19 and e-learning, factors influencing attendance to sports events in Ghana, barriers and motivators to participate in Muslim communities, doping in sports in Ghana and is currently working on sports violence in colleges of education. His Orcid ID is orcid.org/0000-0002-3594-1412, with institutional email: nathanael.adu@mtce.edu.gh.

  • Emmanuel Aboagye, Akrokerri College of Education, Department of Physical Education, Ghana

    Emmanuel Aboagye is a tutor at Akrokerri College of Education and a PhD Science of Education (Physical Education and Sports) student at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. His research interest is multidisciplinary and focus on general education and sport management-related topics. He has participated in articles on covid-19 and e-learning, factors influencing attendance to sports events in Ghana, barriers and motivators to participate in Muslim communities, doping sports in Ghana and is currently working on sport major events and gender equality. His Orcid is orcid.org/0000-0002-5695-9267

  • Stephen Kyenkyehene Addae, St. Monica’s College of Education, Department of Science Education,

    Stephen Kyenkyehene Addae is a tutor at St. Monica’s College of Education. He has Med. Physical Education and pursuing a Master of Philosophy in Physical Education student at the University of Education, Winneba. He is the Head of the Department for science education and Federation Secretary for Physical Education Tutors in Ghana. His research interest is in college sports and sports organisations.

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Published

2023-03-04

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 4 (2023)

Section

Articles

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