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Can We Consider Religiousness as a Protective Factor Against Doping Behavior in Sport?

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Abstract

Religiousness is rarely studied in relation to doping behaviors in sport. In this study, we sampled 27 weightlifting/powerlifting athletes from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Using the originally developed questionnaire and by means of Spearman’s correlation, we interpreted data and discussed relationships between (a) social, religious, sport, and educational factors, and (b) substance use criteria, including cigarettes, alcohol, analgesics, nutritional supplementation, and doping behaviors. In conclusion, we found (1) that religiousness can be considered as a potential protective factor against doping, but also (2) that religious subjects tend to deny and underestimate the doping behaviors in their sport. Both of these findings should be extensively studied in future investigations.

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Acknowledgments

Damir Sekulic is an Associate Professor, University of Split, Croatia. Projects: Specific and situational measuring procedures in sport and kinesiology (funded by Croatian Government); Doping predictors in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Slovenia (proposed for WADA funding). More than 30 times cited in the CC-SCI journals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology, University of Split, Tesla’s Street 12, Split, 21000, Croatia

    Jelena Rodek & Damir Sekulic

  2. Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Sarajevo, Patriotske Lige 41, Sarajevo, 71000, Bosnia and Herzegovina

    Emir Pasalic

Authors
  1. Jelena Rodek
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  2. Damir Sekulic
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  3. Emir Pasalic
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Correspondence to Damir Sekulic.

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Rodek, J., Sekulic, D. & Pasalic, E. Can We Consider Religiousness as a Protective Factor Against Doping Behavior in Sport?. J Relig Health 48, 445–453 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-008-9207-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-008-9207-9

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