International Journal of Educational Research and Reviews

International Journal of Educational Research and Reviews ISSN 2329-9843 Vol. 4 (5), pp. 723-726, May, 2016. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Significant influence of chronological age on doping behaviours of sportsmen in Nigeria

Edjerunuketa O. Nathaniel, Okpara J. Micheal and R. O. David

Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 26 April, 2016

Abstract

The use of drugs in sports regardless of chronological age of sportsmen and women to gain an unfair advantage over opponents is not only repressive but dangerous to the health of the athletes. This study examined the extent to which the chronological age of elite athletes in Nigeria is closely connected to their use of doping substance s (ergogenic, psychoactive and multiple drugs). A total of 510 sportsmen and women from eleven popular sports in Nigeria were selected purposefully using simple and stratified random sampling techniques. A structured que stionnaire was used to collect relevant data for the study. The data collected were analyzed using de scriptive statistics and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Findings revealed that there was a significant influence of chronological age on doping behaviours of sportsmen and women in Nigeria . Significant relationship was not found with respect to age and sex interaction effect on doping behaviours of sportsmen and women. Researchers advised that athletes’ support personnel should closely and purposefully monitor sportsmen and women in Nigeria during training se ssion to save Nigeria from embarrassment and disgrace being placed on countrie s whose athletes are caught using doping substances.

Key words: Chronological age, correlate, elite athletes, doping behaviour, doping substanc es.