World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Social Science Research Grant Program

WADA’s Social Science Research Grant Program has been the main mechanism to fund social science research since 2005. The SSR Strategy expands the scope of social science research activities, with the Grant Program being one key initiative. The social science research priorities have been developed based on a social ecological model that identifies six overarching levels of influence, with athletes placed at the centre.

The levels of influence, research priorities and indicative areas of enquiry for the grant scheme are:

• Athlete
  • Athlete pathway and experience: What factors contribute to doping vulnerability and what factors are protective at each stage of the athlete pathway? How do athletes experience the anti-doping system?
  • Clean sport behaviours: What are the behaviours that contribute to clean sport?
• Athlete Support Personnel (ASP)
  • Role and influence of ASP: What role and influence do ASP have on clean sport behaviours and doping vulnerability at each stage of the athlete pathway?
  • Experience of ASP in clean sport: How do ASP experience anti-doping and how does that interact with their role in clean sport?
• Education Programmes
  • People investment in anti-doping: What is the impact of investment in people within the anti-doping system on implementing key anti-doping functions and overall contribution to clean sport? What supports people to do their jobs more effectively and what are the challenges?
  • Effectiveness of anti-doping/clean sport: What are the components and principles of education programmes and interventions that will maximise the development of clean sport behaviours?
• World Anti-Doping Program
  • WADA Doping Prevention Model: What are the most effective methods for integrating and implementing the five strategies of the WADA Doping Prevention Model in anti-doping programmes?
  • Anti-Doping Policy Impact: What is the impact of policies implemented to prevent doping at each level of the anti-doping system?
• Sport Environment
  • Sport Policy: What impact does wider sport policy have on the culture of sport and, specifically, behaviours related to clean sport?
  • Evolution of sport practices: What impact do the evolving practices in sport have on athletes’ and ASPs’ clean sport behaviours?
• Society
  • Horizon scanning: What strategies and learning from other industries/sectors can be applied to clean sport/anti-doping?
  • Non-sport influences: What are the potential non-sport disruptors and influencers on clean sport?

Investment is delivered through three tiers according to the scale and scope of the proposed research. The tiered system allows for more tailored application requirements for projects rather than a ‘one size fits all’ approach.