Promoting the principle of alcohol abstinence in sport

Abstract

Abstract:
 Background and study aim:
 A hundred years ago, the principle of alcohol abstinence was almost obvious in sport. Currently, it is still observed, but its importance has weakened. At the same time, we have knowledge about the role of this principle in maintaining the effects of training of athletes and in the general education of sport adepts. In professional sport, we note various deviations from this rule, even leading to a breakdown in the careers of individual athletes. In addition, it turns out that the fairly widespread belief in the preventive role of sports activities is not always based on research results. Sometimes, training, especially team games, worsens the level of alcoholism in young people. This is why it is interesting to examine the opinion on the role of abstinence in the preparation of athletes in various research groups. In this case it was a group of voluntary, consistent abstainers. In general, they strongly confirm the role of abstinence in sport, but not all aspects of this acceptance are knowledge-based. Some have an ideological character.
 Material and methods: 
 Diagnostic survey in two groups: declared alcohol abstainers (n = 125) and in the group of users of alcoholic beverages interested in sport (reference group, n = 51). Questionnaire in the annex.
 Results:
 The subjects collectively chose responses indicating a collision of certain behavior with athletic activity (in the test group: alcohol abuse - 93.6%, the use of drugs - 83.2%, smoking - 80.8%, in the reference group respectively 88.2%, 88.2%, 78.4%). 32.8% of respondents in the study group and 39.2% in the reference group did not have knowledge about the harmful effects of alcohol on muscles. Acceptance for abstinence as a sports principle was expressed by 92.8% in the study group and 78.4% in the reference group. Up to 93.6% of the study group believe that abstinence violations could be the cause of sports failures (74.5% in the reference group). However, what is characteristic, as many as 84.6% of respondents from the study group considered that sports training would be beneficial for their children (86% in the reference group.) There is a visible contradiction between the perception of abstinence in sport and the preventive effect of training. Most respondents consider that special preventive training of trainers is necessary (82.4% in the study group and 86.3% in the reference group).
 Conclusions: Respondents from the abstinence group are more likely to support this principle as a rule of conduct for sports practitioners. At the same time, the paradoxical effect of support for playing sports as a preventive method was noted in both groups, despite the knowledge about the links between playing sports and harmful behavior. This is especially surprising in the group of declared abstainers and shows strength of a certain social stereotype linking practicing sport with prevention ("in a healthy body - a healthy spirit"). In both groups there is support for special preventive training of sport trainers.