APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2021 , Vol . 7
Does the Code only apply to athletes ? Great question ! The Code is very athlete-centred , quite understandably . However , the anti-doping rules apply to many stakeholders beyond the athlete , including ‘ athlete support personnel ’ – i . e . coaches , medical professionals , agents , parents , etc .
Importantly , these people can be sanctioned for violating seven out of the eleven rules I mentioned earlier ( tampering , possession , trafficking , administration , complicity , prohibited association and retaliation against a whistle-blower ).
There are also specific roles and responsibilities outlined for coaches – but most coaches are unaware of this . The one that I think is particularly important is for coaches to ‘ use their influence ’ on athletes ’ views towards doping ( and , ultimately , athlete behaviour ).
If I only coach children , the rules won ’ t apply to me , will they ? It is not uncommon for people to make this assumption . But the anti-doping rules do apply to most individuals involved in sport – because almost all countries ( through NADOs and Governments ) and sports ( through International Federations and Major Events ) have ‘ signed up ’ to the Code .
In addition to the rules being inclusive , it is important to know that doping can happen in most contexts . Because of the broad definition of what constitutes doping , people might get into trouble for using a contaminated supplement , or for using a medication without seeking prior approval . So , doping is not all about someone intentionally taking a banned substance to try to gain an advantage over others . Because of this , it ’ s helpful for most coaches to know at least a little about the topic – relevant to their context .
As a coach , what is my role and what can I do to promote clean sport ? Building on the previous point , coaches can help athletes in lots of ways . From a specific anti-doping perspective , they can minimise the risk of athletes unintentionally doping ( eg discuss their use of dietary supplements ) and educate athletes to reduce the risk of intentional doping ( eg teach their athletes about enhancing their performance in permitted ways ). This will require coaches to maintain or improve their knowledge and understanding around anti-doping , such as attending anti-doping workshops or searching credible sources online ( eg UK Anti-Doping , NGB website ) for information .
I think most importantly , for every coach , two of the things they can do are setting and upholding values and standards in their environment ( eg implementing a code of conduct , helping athletes to learn responsibility , respect , etc ) and caring for athletes within and outside of sport ( eg giving open and honest feedback that supports their long-term development , offering support when they seem to be going through a difficult time ). This is where I think the biggest difference can be made !
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