A Study on International Public Opinion Strategies for Major Doping Incidents

Doping scandals in sports epitomise one of the most significant areas of ethical disconnect, competition and public interest, which go hand in hand with ‘dissected’ media coverage and drastically divided public opinion. This research focuses on the steps taken by athletes, sporting associations and regulatory authorities in the course of managing and defending/justifying major doping scandals in the context of international public relations. This study, based on key cases such as the Lance Armstrong scandal and the Russian doping scandal, looks at where examples of the unintentional attribution of agency to substances and biogenic elements are to be found within broader narratives about doping, and how these relate to media use and cultural factors.

The exploratory research shows that use of transparency, crisis management communication frameworks and both traditional and social media is not which public opinion strategies are successful. Still, effectiveness of such endeavors is often threatened by ethical issues, hypermedia coverage, and the eroding trust. The study pays a lot of attention to culture and ethical approaches to implementing and managing crises from doping related issues while supporting calls for long term strategic interventions towards fighting against doping in sports. This research offers practical implications for the policymakers, sports organizations, and communication practitioners who strive to map public opinion on doping scandals.