Competitive Sports Research Articles

A122: Connections Between Mindfulness, Obsessive Passion, Cognitive State Anxiety, and Obligatory Exercise

Background/Purpose: In the current trend of increasing youthfulness and age reduction in competitive sports, the issue of obligatory exercise among young athletes is becoming more severe. This not only affects the physical and mental health of athletes but also hampers their prospects in the world of sports. This study used a cross-sectional research design, employing convenience sampling and snowball sampling methods. While delving into the impact of mindfulness on the issue of obligatory exercise among young athletes, it revealed the mediating role of obsessive passion and cognitive state anxiety. Method: The researchers contacted athletes from four universities, youth training centers, and high-level clubs in different provinces of central and southern China. Among the respondents, (1) 69% of the participants were under the age of 23; (2) in the past year, about 70% of athletes participated in sports competitions only 1-3 times. The reason for this relatively high number is attributed to the official lifting of COVID-19 prevention and control measures in China on January 8, 2023, allowing sports competitions to resume. Prior to that date, sports competitions could not be held normally, and athletes were unable to participate in them. Results: This study progressed to scrutinize the structural model using AMOS v.23, aimed at substantiating the formulated hypotheses. Employing 5,000 bootstrap samples, the outcomes of CFA consistently aligned with established criteria (χ2/df = 2.755, GFI = 0.907, NFI = 0.940, TLI = 0.954, CFI = 0.961, RMSEA = 0.066), unequivocally indicating an alignment between the model and empirical data. The findings distinctively underscored the indirect effect of mindfulness on obligatory exercise, which was mediated through cognitive state anxiety and obsessive passion. This mediation yielded a robust estimate of -0.297 (SE = 0.041, CI = [-0.377, -0.213], p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study identified mindfulness can indirectly improve the obligatory exercise issues of young athletes by reducing obsessive passion and cognitive state anxiety, acting as two mediating variables. Therefore, this study recommends that athlete management organizations and coaches prioritize monitoring the mental health levels of athletes and integrate mindfulness training into their daily routines. The data collection for this study was primarily concentrated in the central and southern regions of China. To ensure the generalizability of research conclusions, subsequent studies may consider expanding the sampling range and implementing random sampling.

“I’m the Kind of Trans They Don’t Care About”: Experiences of Trans-Masculine Athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association

In 2022, transgender swimmer Lia Thomas reignited longstanding debates about fairness in sport, and by August 2023, 23 states had enacted legislation restricting transgender athletic participation. While trans-feminine athletes are often seen as a “threat” to women’s sports, the experiences of trans-masculine athletes are often overlooked. Based on interviews with 13 trans-masculine athletes in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, I explore how they navigate gender identity while participating in gendered, competitive sport. I find that their (trans)gender identities and identities as athletes became inseparable and were mutually constituted. Additionally, I argue that their experiences in sport are contingent on their trans-masculine identities. While not the primary targets of antitrans policy, their experiences were impacted by broader, antitrans rhetoric and legislative efforts to restrict transgender participation.

Psychological Analysis of Problems in Competitive Sports in Nigeria

Psychological Analysis of Problems in Competitive Sports in Nigeria

A027: Does Participation in Sports Competitions Enhance Medical Students' Interprofessional Teamwork?

Background: Healthcare systems are complex linkages, and efficient interprofessional collaboration is essential to their efficiency, safety, and quality. The ability of medical students to collaborate across professions directly impacts future healthcare delivery practices. Physical education programmes provide a simple and easy way for medical students to develop interprofessional collaboration that can be translated into future team performance in clinical settings. To test the effectiveness of the physical education programme "competition instead of examination" in improving the teamwork ability of medical students. Method: Using a quasi-experimental intervention design, 188 students were recruited from five classes to complete a teamwork scale consisting of four sub-dimensions, namely, personal characteristics, teamwork, leadership, and conflict management. Before and after the course, we examined the effect of a 16-week cheerleading programme on the subjects' ability to improve their teamwork skills, and compared the non-winning students (n=102) with the winning students (n=86) in order to measure the effect of teamwork skills on team performance. Results: With 188 students participating in the course and 179 students effectively completing the scale posttest, overall teamwork scores (mean score of 4.81 on the pre-test and 5.05 on the posttest, p < 0.001) and scores on the four subdimensions were statistically significant from pre- to post-intervention. Of the 44 self-efficacy items on the scale, 22 significantly improved. Students who did not win the competition remained statistically significant compared to those who won (mean score of 4.86 for non-winners and 5.14 for winners, p < 0.01), with no differences for personal characteristics. Significance was observed for the 3 subdimensions of teamwork, leadership, and conflict management, and a significant increase in 13 out of 44 self-efficacy items on the scale. Conclusions: A "competition instead of examination" physical education programme improved medical students' teamwork skills. Teamwork skills are conducive to increased team performance, and team sports competitions provide a quantifiable method for improving medical students' interprofessional teamwork skills.

Спорт в отечественном художественном прочтении: культурологический взгляд на мотивы и нарративы

The article is devoted to the interaction between two spheres of socio-cultural space — art and sports — with a focus on the principles of culturological analysis. The factual base of the study is mainly related to the early Soviet stage of the development of the socio-cultural practices under consideration. At that time the confluence of their development was determined not only by the intentions of the subjects of artistic creativity and/or sports action, but also by the general socio-axiological context, which powerfully stimulated collaboration of art and sports. The article examines some examples of artists’ interest in the world of sports, which is due to their understanding of sports as an area of manifestation of the beauty of the human body and spirit, and as a space free from ideological restrictions. Such an interest, a desire to understand sports as a special sphere of life more deeply, was manifested in the wide representation of sport themes in the Soviet art in the first decades of the 20th century, in the preserved words of artists with ‘declarations of love’ to sport, and in their actions (captured in the memoirs of contemporaries) associated with the desire to join the world of sports — be it through personal participation in sport competitions or enthusiastic support. The author of the article argues that one of the ‘common denominators’ which determine not only the described interest, but also other forms of interaction between artistic creativity and sports action (for example, the phenomena of artification of sports, on the one hand, and sportization in certain genres of art, on the other), is the high emotional intensity of these practices, their expressiveness, and a kind of cathartic effect concerning both the actor and the viewer.

Glitters in fishing ground baits – A direct source of primary microplastics in soil and freshwater ecosystems

The aim of this paper is to draw attention to the direct source of primary microplastics (MPs) that have been entirely neglected so far, namely by providing qualitative studies of the fishing ground baits with glitters. Among many microplastic sources already detected in fishing and angling gear and reported in the literature, the glitters in synthetic pastry are the only primary source (produced <5 mm; P-MPs), with MPs placed directly into the freshwater, during sports competitions and individual leisure activities, and were so far not discussed. Dozens of different fishbait pastry products available on the market containing glitters were funded to represent, from the material point of view, only three different classes studied further. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), ATR-FTIR and Raman spectroscopy combined with scanning electron microscopy with an energy-dispersive detector (SEM/EDS) enabled the characterization of their composition and morphology. Glitters are composite structures with an internal core and several chemical layers symmetrically placed on both sides. The polymer origin of particles, with the polyethylene terephthalate (PET) core, was confirmed as being an essential condition to classify them as P-MPs. One should focus on the fact that those primary microplastics are designed purposely to be particularly attractive and ingested by fishes, thus being efficiently introduced to the trophic chain with all persistent consequences, including their contribution to the plastisphere. The preliminary qualitative results of environmental stability were obtained in the accelerated ageing test to discuss the possible long-term ecological implications further. Glitters were durable in the saltwater (both natural and used for weathering in the ageing chamber) and in the seabed sediments. The primary weathering test was performed in marine environments, as oceans are the final destination of most freshwater MPs. Finally, suggestions for future studies to enlarge the knowledge about this issue are provided.

Examining the Relationship Between Collegiate Athletes' Setback-Related Control Beliefs, Rumination, and Psychosocial Outcomes: A Mediation Analysis.

Control beliefs are adaptive for athletes coping with significant obstacles to sport. Our study tested whether the effects of setback-related primary (PC) and secondary control (SC) on adaptive sport-related outcomes were mediated via setback rumination in collegiate athletes. We recruited 200 collegiate athletes using Prolific, from both Canada and the United States of America(Mage = 22.3years; 125 women, 69 men, five nonbinary individuals, and one nonresponse). We used structural equation modelling to test direct paths from Time 1 PC and SC and rumination to Time 2 competition anxiety and sport commitment and test indirect paths of PC and SC to the outcomes through rumination. Findings revealed PC directly increased sport commitment, and through higher rumination, PC predicted higher competition anxiety. Athletes' SC predicted lower competition anxiety via lower rumination. We discuss the implications of these findings for athletes managing significant sport setbacks and for sport personnel supporting athletes.

A155: Exploring the Temporal-Spatial Advantage in SRTT Tasks for Competitive Martial Arts Specialists

Background/Purpose: Wushu, a vital part of national heritage, requires active promotion. Competitive wushu sports offer unique research opportunities. Long-term wushu training enhances balance, attention distribution, and time perception, crucial for precise movement control in competitions. However, existing research lacks focus on temporal and spatial predictability in competitive wushu sparring athletes. This study aimed to delve into the temporal and spatial predictability strengths of specialist martial arts athletes, shedding light on their advantages in time sense and spatial awareness. Method: To explore the strengths of experts in martial arts, this study used the SRTT to discuss the possible advantages of experts in the use of temporally and spatially predictable information in the accurate execution of keystrokes in comparison to adults. A group of 23 martial arts athletes and 36 university students without any martial arts training volunteered to participate in this experiment. Statistical tests of temporal predictability (predictable FIX condition/unpredictable RAN condition) and spatial predictability (low/medium/high) were conducted for each of the three stimulus intervals (0.7 s/1.2 s/1.7 s), and the statistical methods of ANOVA were used for each of the three groups of experts (expert group/general group). Results: The repeated-measures ANOVA test revealed a nonsignificant main effect of group (F = 0.053, p &gt; 0.05). Significant results included spatial predictability (F = 148.09, p &lt; 0.001), indicating reduced responses with increased predictability. Stimulus interval (F = 54.68, p &lt; 0.001) had notable effects, particularly at 1.2 s and 1.7 s. Temporal predictability (F = 41.24, p &lt; 0.05) also impacted response times, with faster responses observed with higher temporal predictability. Significant binary and ternary interactions, along with a significant quadratic interaction, were evident. Conclusion/Discussion: When temporal predictability was high and spatial location predictability was high, the general group outperformed the expert group, regardless of the temporal stimulus interval. Conversely, with medium spatial predictability and a 1.7-second stimulus interval, the expert group exhibited faster responses than the general group. In the RAN condition, the expert group showed faster responses than the general group with high spatial location predictability, regardless of the stimulus interval variations. Additionally, with medium spatial location predictability and a 1.2-second interval, the expert group was notably faster than the general group. This suggests that general students perform better with shorter stimulus intervals, while martial arts students excel at medium intervals, showcasing their inclination towards seeking stable structures amidst cognitive disorder, a trait further enhanced by high spatial predictability.

Il rapporto tra sport e concorrenza alla prova della giurisprudenza nazionale. Sui poteri regolatori delle federazioni sportive nazionali in relazione all’art. 102 TFUE

The article, starting from the recent ruling of the Council of State, section. VI, n. 5054 of 2024, regarding the abuse of a dominant position by a National Sports Federation, aims to retrace the European administrative and jurisprudential evolution regarding the relationship between the sports system and competition, and to compare the principles consolidated before the Court of EU Justice both with respect to the approach given by the AGCM to the contested sanction measure and with respect to the annulment decision taken by the Council of State. In light of this analysis, I will conclude on the consistency of the decision with European precedents and on its innovativeness in the Italian jurisprudential panorama, and I’ll identify some measures that the Authority could adopt in the future to set up investigations regarding the exercise of normative and regulatory powers on the part of the exponential subjects of the national sports system.

A086: The Mechanisms of Mental Fatigue Among Table Tennis Athletes from the Perspective of Positive Psychology

Objective: In the realm of competitive sports, mental fatigue, as a prevalent negative psychological phenomenon, not only adversely affects athletes' immediate competitive performance, but also impedes their long-term career progression. This issue is particularly acute among table tennis athletes who endure persistent pressures and concerns. Presently, there is a burgeoning interest in investigating athletes' mental fatigue through the lens of positive psychological attributes. Notably, temperamental optimism fosters the development of positive cognitions and enhances psychological resilience. Similarly, cognitive reappraisal facilitates the augmentation of positive emotional experiences. Investigating the relationship between these variables and table tennis athletes' mental fatigue holds promise for innovating solutions to alleviate athletes' mental fatigue. Methods: This study was comprised of two parts. In Experiment 1, a cross-sectional study was employed to investigate the inherent association between temperamental optimism and mental fatigue among table tennis athletes and to examine whether cognitive reappraisal moderates this relationship. Experiment 2 employed a longitudinal study; wherein experimental subjects were selected from athletes whose cognitive reappraisal scores fell below the average observed in Experiment 1. The experimental group participated in the cognitive reappraisal psychological counseling program, while the control group underwent the psychological knowledge psychological counseling program. Following an 8-week duration, a randomized controlled experiment was conducted to verify the moderating effect of cognitive reappraisal. Results: Experiment 1 was a cross-sectional study. Experimental results showed that temperamental optimism could significantly and negatively predict the mental fatigue of table tennis athletes. Cognitive reappraisal could positively mediate the relationship between temperamental optimism and table tennis athletes' mental fatigue. Experiment 2 was a longitudinal study. The experimental results showed that after the 8-week experiment, there were significant differences in various dimensions between the experimental group and the control group. Conclusion: This study revealed that as the level of cognitive reappraisal rose, the negative predictive impact of temperamental optimism on table tennis athletes' mental fatigue also escalated, and vice versa. In addition, cognitive reappraisal psychological counseling demonstrates promising intervention efficacy, confirming the moderating effect of cognitive reappraisal. Moving forward, leveraging positive psychology offers a prospective avenue to address negative psychological challenges in athletes.

FINANCIAL FOULS? EARNINGS MANAGEMENT IN THE GREEK SPORTS INDUSTRY

This study investigates the phenomenon of earnings management within Greek sports clubs, a sector with substantial popularity and a strong fan base in Greece, as in many other countries. National sports competitions represent a major industry, involving significant financial investments in marketing, athlete salaries, and organizational expenditures. In recent years, UEFA has imposed financial oversight on these clubs to ensure compliance with Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations. This research examines a sample of 35 Greek sports clubs competing in the two highest professional leagues from 2006 to 2019, resulting in an un balanced panel dataset with 225 annual observations. To identify earnings management practices, we apply the accrual-based approach, utilizing the performance-matched model as modified by Kothari (2005). Our findings indicate strong evidence that, during the financial crisis period, Greek sports clubs employed earnings management techniques, likely as a response to UEFA’s FFP regulations and to navigate financial challenges.

A020: Study on the Media Image of Guizhou Village Super League Based on the Grounded Theory

Background: The report of the 20th CPC National Congress emphasizes that Chinese-style modernization entails the harmonious development of material and spiritual civilization, with the rural masses' spiritual and cultural well-being serving as a crucial indicator for rural revitalization and broader economic and social progress. In this context, "VBA", "village super" and other rural sports events are popular throughout the Internet, enriching people's spiritual and cultural life, injecting new vitality and vitality into the cause of national fitness, and contributing new ideas to rural revitalization and ethnic integration development. Guizhou village Super League refers to the Rongjiang (Sanbao Dong Village) and the United States Rural Football Super League in Qiandongnan, Guizhou Province. This competition will start on May 13, 2023, and finish on July 29 of the same year. After that, a series of football matches will be held regularly in the host place of the United States Rural Football Super League, also known as Guizhou village Super League by the masses. Method: This paper used Grounded Theory to encode text data related to Guizhou village Super League, and constructed a theoretical model of media images of Guizhou village Super League. The research data came from the news text reports, news video texts, journal articles, and interview texts of 7 people, including staff of local functional departments in Rongjiang. Result: The findings revealed that the media image of the Guizhou Village Super League is characterized by its vibrant atmosphere, pure sporting competition, inclusive celebration involving all members of society, and fusion with local customs. The ethnic diversity and cultural richness exhibited in this competition are identified as key drivers shaping its media representation. Conclusion: Based on these findings, suggestions for advancing rural sports events in China included: 1) integrating superior resources to establish distinctive stadiums; 2) preserving local characteristics while organizing authentic competitions; 3) promoting coordinated governance among functional departments to safeguard people's autonomy; 4) transforming such events into platforms for cultural exchange aimed at bolstering confidence in Chinese culture.

Saving Women’s Sport: The Case for Feminist Dialogue With the Unregulated Majority

Studies of eligibility regulation often focus on how, given inconclusive science, policymakers engage in ideological work to stabilize the women’s category. This paper considers the policy role of women athletes and particularly the “unregulated majority”: the notion that certain women are protected from eligibility regulation and benefit from a cisnormative, binary, and Global North-dominated system of sports competition. I examine a case from the 1990s, when a group of women athletes sought to reinstate gynecological exams and chromosome screening in track and field. Analyzing correspondence of the “Gender Verification Fax Club,” an influential group of experts, I consider whether meaningful dialogue was achieved. I reflect on how a feminist approach to dialogue could address the role of hegemonic femininity in eligibility regulation.

The Moderating Role of Perception of Control in the Relationship between Competence Evaluation and Sports Motivation among Athletes

Understanding the role of perception of control in the relationship between competence evaluation and athletes&amp;rsquo; sports motivation is sacrosanct for optimal performance and participation. The present study examined the direct effect of competence evaluation by (a) investigating its relationship with athletes&amp;#39; sports motivation, (b) the direct effect of perception of control on athletes&amp;#39; sports motivation, and (c) testing the indirect effect of perception of control on the relationship between competence evaluation and athletes&amp;rsquo; sports motivation. Student-athletes (N = 200, Mage = 20.61 years; SD = 3.73) completed self-report measures assessing competence evaluation, sports motivation and perception of control. Regression analysis showed that competence evaluation and perception of control were significantly associated with sports motivation; however, the perception of control moderated the interaction of competence evaluation and athletes&amp;#39; sports motivation. Thus, competence evaluation was significantly associated with sports motivation for athletes with moderate and high perceptions of control. The findings underscore the need for athletes, coaches, sports psychologists, and other sports stakeholders to understand how competence evaluation and perception of control interrelate to boost motivational levels among athletes in sports competitions.

Constructing a grounded theory of grit in sport: understanding the development and outcomes of long-term passion and perseverance in competitive athletes

ABSTRACT To be successful, athletes are expected to overcome the many setbacks and demands of sport throughout the entirety of their competitive career. Grit – or passion and perseverance over long terms – has been linked to positive outcomes in the sport domain, but progress in the field has been hindered by a lack of sufficient theory. The purpose of this study was to construct a grounded theory of competitive athletes’ grit in sport, and constructivist grounded theory methodology was adopted. Twenty-seven participants (14 women, 13 men; 22 athletes, 5 coaches) involved in competitive sport participated in individual semi-structured interviews. Data analysis involved an iterative process of initial coding, focused coding, axial coding, and theoretical integration. Results showed grit to be a malleable dispositional tendency that was formed over time as athletes amassed significant sport experiences. With the encouragement from supportive others, athletes would adopt adaptive cognitions about success and failure. These cognitions would then develop into a propensity to identify and strive towards long-term goals in sport. Participants described grit as leading to several outcomes, including sport-specific goal achievement, adaptive outcomes, and maladaptive outcomes. Our research advances the study of grit in sport by providing researchers and practitioners a deeper understanding of the processes that encapsulate competitive athletes’ sport-specific grit. Implications for practice (e.g., how sport support persons might foster grit in athletes) and recommendations for future research (e.g., improving the measurement of grit in sport) are also discussed.

Benefits of Physical Activity in Children with Cardiac Diseases-A Concise Summary for Pediatricians.

A physically active lifestyle offers multiple benefits, including lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, lowering body-mass index (BMI), and, last but not least, improving the quality of life. However, there are still disincentives to physical activity in children with heart diseases due to the high protection of parents and the scarcity of data in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to help pediatricians and pediatric cardiologists identify the type of physical activity allowed in children with congenital cardiac malformations, thus minimizing the risk of major adverse effects, such as acute coronary syndrome and sudden cardiac death. Therefore, we searched various electronic databases, such as PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Embase. We selected 61 articles published between 2008-2024. These articles included data on pediatric patients, from newborn to adolescent age. We decided to choose the 2008 study because of its focus on the essential role of education in schools regarding physical activity and the prevention of complications from sedentary lifestyles. Subsequently, we analyzed the data available in the literature up to 2024 regarding the type, intensity, and duration of exercise for patients with various congenital heart malformations. The conclusions of this review are presented based on the category of heart disease. There are differences in the free practice of sports in children with cardiomyopathies, atrioventricular block, arrhythmias with a genetic substrate, valvulopathies, and cyanogenic and non-cyanogenic congenital malformations. For example, children with arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy are not allowed to participate in sports competitions, but they can perform low physical activity for 150 min/week-golf, table tennis, and photography. However, it is recognized that a physically active lifestyle correlates with a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases, body mass index, and an improvement in the quality of life. Children with congenital heart disease who are active have improved their cardiovascular systems.

It's just how we do it: social processes in rapid weight loss for combat sports

ABSTRACT Making weight is an essential aspect of preparation for competition in combat sports. In addition to gradual weight loss in order to fight lean, fighters commonly engage in Rapid Weight Loss (RWL) practices seeking short-term hypohydration in order to be lighter for weigh-in. The aims of this study were to explore the RWL-related experiences of N = 7 participants in non-professional UK Thai boxing (Muay Thai), in order to elucidate the socio-cultural and social-psychological processes relating to these behaviours. Four themes were identified: One-upmanship; Setting and conforming to expectations; Self-directed preparation; and Subversion of RWL controls. These themes describe how RWL is learned, rewarded, magnified, often unmitigated, and inherently difficult to restrict. Contrary to suggestions in past research, participant accounts highlight how fighters may aggressively cut weight at lower levels of the sport where health-related interventions are harder to implement.

Use of Sport Supplements and Doping Substances by Athletes: Prevalence and Relationships.

Background: The use of sport supplements may represent a risk factor for the use of doping in sports. To explore this putative risk, the current study examined the frequency of sport supplement use and associations between the use of sport supplements and the use of doping substances and methods in athletes. Methods: The participants (n = 345; 56% male, 22 ± 5 years, 18-43 years) completed measures of sport supplement use, sport supplement beliefs, doping likelihood, and doping use. Based on the Australian Institute of Sport's "Sports Supplement Framework", the participants were asked whether they used 23 sport supplements from four categories (sport foods, medical supplements, performance supplements, other). They were also asked whether they used six classes of doping substances and methods (alphabodies, stimulants, steroids, erythropoietin, growth hormone, blood doping). Results: Sport supplements were used by 96% of the athletes, whereas doping substances were used by 4% of the athletes. Moreover, athletes who used more sport supplements also used more doping substances. The use of sport supplements was related to the use of doping substances both directly and indirectly via sport supplement beliefs and doping likelihood. Conclusions: Consumption of sport supplements is common, whereas doping is rare, and, moreover, the belief that sport supplements help optimize performance in competitive sport confers an increased risk for doping.

Mental health perspectives on nonsuicidal self-injury and suicidality among intramural, club, and varsity women college athletes

Objective: This study explores rates and correlates of NSSI and suicidality of women college athletes, taking into consideration sport competition level (i.e., intramural, club, varsity). Participants: Data were drawn from self-identified women college athletes (n = 8,842) who participated in the Healthy Minds Study. Methods: Mental health correlates of NSSI and suicidality were assessed with logistic regression. Results: Approximately 19%–24% of the women college athlete sample reported past-year engagement in NSSI; 8%–10% reported suicidal ideation; 3%–4% reported suicidal planning; and 0.8%–1% reported attempted suicide. Rates of NSSI and suicidal ideation were relatively higher for club sports women college athletes. Clinical mental health concerns, substance use concerns, positive mental health, and interpersonal concerns were correlates of NSSI and suicidality, with variations observed across competition level. Conclusions: Findings spotlight the urgency to intervene in NSSI and suicidality among women college athletes while being informed of demographic, sport, and mental health risk factors.

The Application of Machine Learning in Doping Detection.

Detecting doping agents in sports poses a significant challenge due to the continuous emergence of new prohibited substances and methods. Traditional detection methods primarily rely on targeted analysis, which is often labor-intensive and is susceptible to errors. In response, machine learning offers a transformative approach to enhancing doping screening and detection. With its powerful data analysis capabilities, machine learning enables the rapid identification of patterns and features in complex compound data, increasing both the efficiency and the accuracy of detection. Moreover, when integrated with nontargeted metabolomics, machine learning can predict unknown metabolites, aiding the discovery of long-lasting biomarkers of doping. It also excels in classifying novel compounds, thereby reducing false-negative rates. As instrumental analysis and machine learning technologies continue to advance, the development of rapid, scalable, and highly efficient doping detection methods becomes increasingly feasible, supporting the pursuit of fairness and integrity in sports competitions.