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Conducted researches recognize various risk factors, as well as protective factors against doping behaviour in different sports i.e. sports disciplines or activities. The main goal of this research was to identify the correlation between selected socio-demographic, health-related, and sports-related predictors with doping factors in three different types of sports, which are (1) highly energetic demanding sports (weightlifting), (2) highly technical demanding sports (racquet sports), and (3) highly tactical demanding sports (sailing). The research consisted of three separate studies, each one of them researching one of the sports. The sample of subjects included altogether 293 athletes, senior level competitors (older than 18years of age). In total, the sample comprised three homogenous sub-samples, as follows: athletes in highly energetic demanding sports (weightlifters and power lifters; N=27), athletes in highly technical demanding sports (table tennis, tennis and badminton players; N=188), and athletes in highly tactical demanding sports (sailing; N=78). The first study involved weightlifters where we should point out the existence of high doping behaviour In this study, religiousness was interpreted as the most significant protective factor against doping behaviour, while sports factors are not found to be significantly related to doping. The study involving racquet sport athletes suggests a high risk of doping behaviour among those athletes who observe doping behaviour in their sport. We noticed low levels of athletes' trust in their coaches' and physicians' opinions on doping issues. This is an issue which should be researched in the future, because the underlying cause has not been studied as yet. Briefly, it seems that either the athletes are not convinced of their coaches '/physicians' expertise regarding doping issues, and/or they do not believe in their good intentions. It is particularly important, as the previous research has shown that with the increased trust in coaches and physicians, the chance that an athlete will use doping decreases. As expected, it is characteristic for sailing that it has a low likelihood of potential doping behaviour, although the consumption of dietary supplements is high. Substance abuse in sports spreads beyond those that enhance athletic performance. All of these issues should be studied in more detail in the future and, if appropriately validated, incorporated into anti-doping intervention programs.

Background: Racket sports are typically not associated with doping. Despite the common characteristics of being non-contact and mostly individual, racket sports differ in their physiological demands, which might be reflected in substance use and misuse (SUM). The aim of this study was to investigate SUM among Slovenian Olympic racket sport players in the context of educational, sociodemographic and sport-specific factors., Methods: Elite athletes (N=187; mean age=22±2.3; 64% male) representing one of the three racket sports, table tennis, badminton, and tennis, completed a paper-and-pencil questionnaire on substance use habits. Athletes in this sample had participated in at least one of the two most recent competitions at the highest national level and had no significant difference in competitive achievement or status within their sport., Results: A significant proportion of athletes (46% for both sexes) reported using nutritional supplements. Between 10% and 24% of the studied males would use doping if the practice would help them achieve better results in competition and if it had no negative health consequences; a further 5% to 10% indicated potential doping behaviour regardless of potential health hazards. Females were generally less oriented toward SUM than their male counterparts with no significant differences between sports, except for badminton players. Substances that have no direct effect on sport performance (if timed carefully to avoid detrimental effects) are more commonly consumed (20% binge drink at least once a week and 18% report using opioids), whereas athletes avoid substances that can impair and threaten athletic achievement by decreasing physical capacities (e.g. cigarettes), violating anti-doping codes or potentially transgressing substance control laws (e.g. opiates and cannabinoids). Regarding doping issues, athletes' trust in their coaches and physicians is low., Conclusion: SUM in sports spreads beyond doping-prone sports and drugs that enhance athletic performance. Current anti-doping education, focusing exclusively on rules and fair play, creates an increasingly widening gap between sports and the athletes' lives outside of sports. To avoid myopia, anti-doping programmes should adopt a holistic approach to prevent substance use in sports for the sake of the athletes' health as much as for the integrity of sports.

Substance use and misuse (SU&M) is regularly studied in sports, but we have found no such data for table tennis. We have studied SU&M in athletes competing at the Slovenian Nationals 2008-2009 (responding rate was 100%; 50 males and 29 females; aged 18 years or older). The anonymous questionnaire for studying SU&M and corresponding educational, socio-demographic, and sport factors was used. More than 90% of all the athletes included in our study do not rely on coaches' and/or physicians' opinion regarding nutritional supplements and doping. Chi-square test revealed higher prevalence of binge drinking, cigarette smoking, and potential doping behavior in males. In both genders, with the advancement of the sport status, the probability for potential doping behavior increases. In conclusion, we strongly suggest permanent SU&M educational programs for table tennis athletes as well as for their coaches and physicians.