Study shows doping rise in junior athletes

KIDS as young as 12 are using performance- enhancing drugs in an attempt to keep up with demanding sports.

About 4 per cent of elite junior athletes have admitted that they used performanceenhancing drugs, according to a three- year study by Griffith University and the University of Canberra. Researchers say the number has increased over the past decade.

Griffith University sport researcher Dr Terry Engelberg said the study found most young athletes were against using drugs in sport.

“We found that in terms of the athletes who used substances, in general they believed everyone was doing it,” she said.

“The main difference between the young athletes and those who weren’t was a lower level of moral reasoning.”

She said the national study, that primarily involved Queenslanders, showed about a third of young athletes believed elite athletes used performance- enhancing drugs.

“There was this interesting belief that supplements are al- most like magic potions,” she said. “Almost like they believe supplements can do everything for you … that’s a damaging belief.”

The study showed almost 5 per cent of junior athletes have been offered performance- enhancing drugs and more than 10 per cent believed they competed against athletes who used drugs such as steroids.