Nearly 1,000 Athletes Assess USADA’s Effectiveness in New Survey

The majority of American athletes believe the science of anti-doping testing lags behind athletes’ abilities to intentionally avoid a positive result, according to a recent survey released by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

The survey targeted athletes in the USADA testing pool, receiving input from 994 athletes across 76 sports, 58% of whom were Olympians or Paralympians. When asked about their trust in the science of drug testing, 53% of respondents said the science is behind or greatly behind athletes’ ability to dodge a positive test. On the other hand, though, 68% think that drug testing detects most PED use in elite sport, so they also believe that testing can be effective.

The 55-question survey covered 10 topics and was released as part of USADA’s quarterly update. There were some notable findings in the section on Whereabouts filings, where a whopping 86% of athletes reported anxiety around the process. Almost three-quarters of respondents said they had anxiety about risk of contamination from pharmaceuticals, with about one in three reporting anxiety around risk of contamination from the environment and intimate contact.

As a follow-up, USADA asked how much privacy (e.g. geolocation devices) athletes are willing to sacrifice above and beyond what they already do to reduce the burden of anti-doping procedures. Interestingly, the majority (51%) answered that they would sacrifice “some” privacy, with 30% saying “none” and 19% responding “a great deal.”

One in 10 athletes reported personally knowing an elite international athlete in their sport who is doping while one in 20 reported knowing an elite athlete in their sport who is doping in the U.S. Unsurprisingly, athletes were more likely to think elite athletes from other countries in other sports are doping compared to athletes in their own country and own sport. Three-quarters said they think the U.S. is either better or the best at ensuring clean sport, with 59% responding that testing of international competitors is too infrequent.

Of the 50 athletes who reported knowing an athlete who was intentionally doping, 35 said they didn’t report to USADA. Eight reported some but not all information, and seven reported everything they knew. The top reasons for not reporting were fear of retribution, fear that it would not be anonymous, and fear that USADA wouldn’t act on the tip.

USADA also asked about the sensitivity of their drug tests. Would athletes prefer a less sensitive test that misses some people who are doping but reduces the risk of a false positive compared to a test that identifies everyone but results in some false positives for innocent athletes? The vast majority (78%) answered that they prefer a less sensitive test between the two options.

A resounding majority (78%) responded that they don’t believe marijuana is not a performance-enhancing drug, but only 68% said it should be allowed in their sport.

71% said they believe supplements are necessary for optimal performance, but only 68% of athletes reported using supplements.

You can see the full results of the survey here. 

In his quarterly message, USADA CEO Travis Tygart also announced a new 90 for 90 program incentive — a gift card from a place of the athlete’s choice — for anyone who completes 90 months of training.

“More than 500 athletes in USADA testing pools who have been completing education, filing and updating accurately Whereabouts information, and giving 90 milliliters of urine and more for at least 90 months,” Tygart said. “Wow! This is an incredible accomplishment for many of you, and one that we want to celebrate with just a small token of our appreciation.”

In this quarter's CEO message, Travis Tygart highlights some exciting developments in athlete engagement, including:

– The 2022 Athlete Perceptions Survey findings: https://t.co/JoDdSuOubH
– Our #AvoidChaos campaign:https://t.co/WQfSp7b1De
– Our NEW #90for90 program

Tune in to… pic.twitter.com/xxjPK52PJN

— USADA (@usantidoping) April 24, 2023