Virtual Reality Against Doping: The Case of Project VIRAL

Doping is considered a major threat of modern sport. Since the establishment of the anti-doping system emphasis was placed on the detection and punishment approach in the fight against doping. Recently a shift to education as a preventive tool against doping has been made. In this effort several anti-doping educational interventions have been developed. These interventions have been found modestly effective in educating athletes against doping. To move education, forward a virtual reality game is proposed. Virtual reality has been found effective in changing attitudes, intention and behavior. Therefore, virtual reality can be suitable in addressing the appearance and performance related reasoning underlying the decision making towards the use of performance and appearance enhancing substances. The present paper describes the conceptual basis of VIRAL project that aims to develop the first virtual reality game for doping prevention in competitive and recreational sports. The VIRAL project will a) utilize cutting-edge behavioural science research about the risk and protective factors against doping use to inform the development of an anti-doping virtual reality program, b) use an “open innovation” framework to co-design the anti-doping virtual reality program and c) apply and evaluate the effectiveness of the doping prevention VR program in changing young people’s learning, motivation, beliefs and behaviour towards doping. Overall, the VIRAL project is expected to develop anti-doping educational material that will address the needs of young athletes and will be able to educate against doping through innovative learning pedagogies.