Research project:

Is there a need in professional football for an education, information and support service on substance misuse?

Richard J. Francis and David Clark

Study involved questioning professional footballers in relation to prohibited doping substances, illicit recreational drugs and excessive alcohol consumption.

Fifty six players from six teams in the English football league filled in a questionnaire covering various issues including:

• Drugs in sport in general
  
  
• Their experience of drug testing
  
  
• Their perceived knowledge of drugs and alcohol
  
  
• Their views on information, education and support currently available to them.

Some of the key findings were:

• 98% agreed with anti-doping regulations.
  
  
• 43% disagreed that the FA has taken sufficient measures to stop players taking doping substances and 54% disagreed that clubs had.
  
  
• Over 40% agreed that certain pressures in the game and other factors can lead players to use doping substances, illicit drugs and to drink alcohol excessively.
  
  
• A vast proportion of players claimed to have poor awareness and understanding of the effects of banned doping substances: 74% for banned stimulants, 80% for narcotic analgesics and 82% for anabolic agents, etc.
  
  
• Nearly three-quarters expressed concern over inadvertently taking a banned doping substance and only 54% agreed that the FA were doing enough to reduce these concerns.
  
  
• Two-thirds disagreed that the FA and clubs do a good job in providing information, education and support about doping substances, illicit drugs and alcohol related problems.
  
  
• Only 10% had received an educational programme on drugs and alcohol. The main means of information was by leaflet.

Our findings revealed that the large majority of players: claim to have poor awareness and understanding of prohibited doping substances; want information; and do not feel that the FA and clubs provide adequate education, information and support.

Conclusions highlight the need for an environment of understanding in professional football of the legal, health and social disadvantages of using prohibited doping substances and illicit recreational drugs, and drinking excessively.

This cannot be created overnight, or by drug testing alone.
A high-quality, long-term education, information and support service is needed.

We have offered to develop such a service for football - and we know that we can develop a unique high-quality service - but to date the sport has not agreed to fund this project.

Detailed summary available in pdf format