An Analysis of Gender-Based Differences in Doping Propensity: A Report

This report investigates the differences in doping likelihood between male and female athletes. The study employs a quantitative research approach, collecting data through surveys of 179 athletes, and utilizes a t-test to analyze the data. The research aims to determine if significant differences exist in doping tendencies between genders, considering factors such as sport type, training intensity, and supplement use. The results reveal that there is no significant difference between male and female athletes' doping likelihood, with both groups exhibiting similar propensities. The report discusses the ethical implications of doping, referencing various studies on the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), including steroids, and their associated health risks. It concludes that the use of doping activities is increasing day by day and suggests the importance of providing athletes with proper knowledge on nutrition and diet to mitigate the issue. The report also highlights that the study concludes with the acceptance of the null hypothesis.

Topic: Is there a difference between males and females and their likelihood of doping?
Introduction
Doping is a use of drugs in order to enhance the performance of a person in sports related
activities. Doping is considered as unethical as well as banned and prohibited by all the sports
committees in the world. Various sport authorities have banned the use of doping as in order to
consider the health issues in order to enhance the performance, provide fair and equal treatment
to all the athletes as well as providing them equal opportunities and fair competition and also
make the sport drug-free for the people.
Various Doping tests are being used by the Anti-doping authorities which include the
urine test sample of the athlete and the test is made and determined whether the test is positive or
negative. Most of the doping activities were found in the physical sports such as Rugby, Cycling,
Soccer and Basketball. Mostly male players were found initiating the doping activities in these
games. The amount of female athletes was also not less in the games such as volleyball and
Handball in order to deliver the high performance as well as to increase the stamina to perform
accordingly. The athletes consuming dietary supplements at their young age were found to be in
the highest risk of doping behaviour.
Doping corrupts and spoils the image and the value of the sport. However the use of
doping can be avoided by providing the essential knowledge on sport nutrition and diet, this will
reduce the tendency of doping in both male and female athletes.
This report will study the survey of the difference between the male and female
likelihood of doping. The report will also include entire process of research which will be
collection of the data for the topic, study and analysis of the data using various methods in order
to find out solution to the question. The report will also highlight the results of whether there is a
difference between male and female in the amount of doping, it will be done through the T-Test
hypothesis testing in order to pursue the results. Further the report will discuss and review the
results and outcomes of the research in order to arrive at the appropriate conclusion.
Research objective

The aim behind conducting present study is to assess the doping likelihood of males and
females.
Research question
Does significant difference takes place in doping likelihood of males and females?
Methods
Research type: In order to assess doping likelihood of males and females quantitative
research type has been selected. The reason behind this, quantitative research assists in
exhibiting clear view of issue by placing emphasis on the evaluation of numeric figures.
Referring such research type deductive approach and positivism philosophy has been used (Yu
and Liao, 2016). On the basis of selected approach hypothesis has been tested or evaluated by
taking into account existing theoretical framework. Furthermore, as per positivism philosophy
statistical tools have been applied for assessing outcome from gathered data set.
Data collection: In research, data collection is highly significant for presenting the
reliable view of study (Thuries and Gillet, 2016). In this, to evaluate doping likelihood in the
context of both males and females data has been gathered from both primary and secondary
sources. With regards to primary data, survey has been conducted, via questionnaire, on 179
athletes. By including questions in relation to age, gender, sport type, years of competing, per
week hourly training, doping likelihood and supplements
Participants or sample: For sample selection simile random sampling technique has been
used. Referring such technique 179 respondents have been selected from the concerned
population. Hence, with the motive to present appropriate view of study both males and females
are included in survey. H
Data analysis: in order to analyse gathered data set quantitative (SPSS) tools have been
applied. For testing concerned hypothesis in relation to making assessing of doing likelihood of
males and females t test technique has been applied. The rationale behind selection of t test is
that it helps in comparing mean between two unrelated groups with regards to same continuous
variable. Accordingly, in this, doping likelihood is tested in against to independent variable such
as gender. Dependent variable in data set such as gender has two groups namely male & female.

Thus, using this test difference in thee mean value males and female’s doping likelihood has
been evaluated.
Ethical consideration: For enhancing reliability and meet ethical aspects prior
permission from selected respondents have been taken. This is turn shows that participation of
respondents is voluntary and they are not compelled for the same. Further, references have also
been added which in turn shows that work is completely new rather than copied.
Results
Null hypothesis: There is no significant difference in the mean value of male and female’s
likelihood pertaining to doping.
Alternative hypothesis: There is a significant difference in the mean value of male and female’s
likelihood pertaining to doping.
T-Test
Group
Statistics
Gender N Mean Std. Deviation Std. Error Mean
Doping Likelihood Male 131 3.5802 2.10842 .18421
Female 48 3.2708 1.98655 .28673
Indepen
dent
Sample
s Test

Levene's Test for
Equality of
Variances
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F Sig. t df Sig. (2-
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Std. Error
Difference
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Doping
Likelihood
Equal
variances
assumed
.054 .817 .883 177 .379 .30932 .35039 -.38217 1.00081
Equal
variances not
assumed
.908 88.363 .367 .30932 .34081 -.36793 .98657
p>0.05 so null hypothesis is true or accepted
By applying test on data set it has found that mean value in the case of males and females
account for 3.58 & 3.27 respectively. Hence, as per the mean value derived doping likelihood of
males and females take place to some extent. Along with this, standard deviation associated with
concerned variables are 2.11 (males) & 1.99 (females). As per this, in the upcoming time period
mean value will deviate with such figure. Further, outcome of statistical evaluation clearly
exhibits that significance value in the case of both males and females imply for .379 & .367
significantly. Considering this, it can be presented that null hypothesis is accepted and other one
rejected because p>0.05. Thus, it can be depicted that no significant difference take place in the
mean doping likelihood under both equal and unequal variances. In other words, it can be
mentioned that doping likelihood of males and females is moving in similar tandem.
Discussion
From the above findings, T test is implemented in order to find the outcomes of the
research and to find out the level of significance. It is assumed that the difference between the
two outcomes is being predicted on the finding out level of significance through hypothesis
testing. If there is null hypothesis which is occurred when the level of significance or difference
is less than 5%. Null hypothesis states that there is no difference between the two variables.
Another possibility is alternative hypothesis which states that there is a difference between two
variables. Alternative hypothesis occurs when the difference is more than 5%. It can be noted
that the level of significance from the above solution is 0.817 which is more than 0.5, hence Null

hypothesis is rejected and Alternative hypothesis is accepted. This states that there is a difference
between the male and the female doping. The results can be concluded that the number of males
are more involved in doping activities than female.
Bergamaschi and Crippa (2015) states that for the athlete to win a medal or competition
for his country is an most important dream and in order to pursue it they have made the use of
doping a very common factor which will enhance their performance ability to higher extent as
well as make them win the sport. De Hon and et.al., (2015)argues that there are several risks or
more risks are involved rather than its benefits which comprises of many health issues to the
athletes. Hopker and et.al., (2018) states that the doping involves the use of steroids which can
be also known as anabolic steroids used by the males to increase their testosterone level which
helps them in muscle building and avoid the muscle injury during their workouts as well as it
helps the athletes to recover faster form the injury than the actual time. Steroids also boost the
performance of athletes as well as increase their ability to perform more than the actual one.
Mazzeo and et.al., (2018) argues that there are several side effects of steroids and risk involved
in consuming the steroids. The risk may include the men developing prominent breasts, shrunken
testicles, infertility and prostate gland enlargement. Negro and et.al., (2018) on the other hand
argues that the use of steroids and doping also have major side effects on women as they develop
a deeper voice. Enlarged clitoris, increased body hair, baldness, infrequent or absent of periods.
These side effects can be observed deeply by the athletes and should avoid the use of doping in
their activities of sports and maintain the ethics of the competition that they participate. This can
be avoided by ensuring the proper knowledge on diet and nutrition by the athletes as well as
performing with ethics of sport.
Conclusion
By summing up this report it can present that doping activity of males and females is
increasing day by day. For completion of this research project, quantitative research type has
been selected. With the help of survey conducted via questionnaire on 179 athletes, data has been
collected. Question related to age, gender, sport type, years of competing, per week hourly
training, doping likelihood and supplements were given in questionnaire. SPSS tool has been
used for analysing data and all the ethical concept has been followed. Research has been
concluded by result that p>0.05 so null hypothesis is true and therefore accepted. It has been

evaluated that mean value in the case of males and females is 3.58 & 3.27 respectively which
indicates that doping activity is there to some extent in the likelihood of both the males and
females. It can be said that doping likelihood of both males and females is moving in similar
way.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Bergamaschi, M.M. and Crippa, J.A.S., 2015. Why should cannabis be considered doping in
sports?. Clearing the smokescreen: The current evidence on cannabis use, p.159.
De Hon and et.al., 2015. Prevalence of doping use in elite sports: a review of numbers and
methods. Sports medicine. 45(1). pp.57-69.
Hopker and et.al., 2018. Athlete performance monitoring in anti-doping. Frontiers in
physiology. 9. p.232.
Mazzeo and et.al., 2018. Development of Doping in sports: overview and analysis.Journal of
Physical Education and Sport. 18(3). pp.1669-1677.
Negro and et.al., 2018. Opinion paper: scientific, philosophical and legal consideration of doping
in sports. European journal of applied physiology. 118(4). pp.729-736.
Thuries, S. and Gillet, A., Intermec IP Corp, 2016. Automatic data collection apparatus and
method. U.S. Patent 9,400,906.
Yu, D. and Liao, H., 2016. Visualization and quantitative research on intuitionistic fuzzy
studies. Journal of Intelligent & Fuzzy Systems. 30(6). pp.3653-3663.