Strengthening the status quo: moral regulation of anti-doping policy

Abstract

For the legitimacy of anti-doping policy, it is essential to reinforce the negative attitudes of various stakeholders towards doping in sports. In this article, the authors utilize the theoretical framework of moral regulation to examine how the ethos and identity of clean sport are produced and normalized within anti-doping activities. Their specific focus is on the Clean Win programme, coordinated by the Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS). Based on their analysis of social media content and training material, the programme can be characterized as a moral regulation project involving a diverse group of actors, where anti-doping is portrayed as a shared and collective responsibility. Theoretically, their article emphasizes the comprehensive nature of moral regulation rather than the elimination of deviant behaviour, as well as the targetlessness of moral regulation projects.