Biological samples collected during doping control may, in addition to their primary anti-doping purpose, also have value for scientific research. The research use of such samples raises important ethical, legal, and organizational issues, particularly with regard to athletes’ informed consent, privacy protection, and trust in anti-doping institutions. The aim of this thesis was to investigate factors associated with the consent of tested athletes to the research use of biological samples collected during doping control.
We retrospectively analyzed 4615 doping control forms obtained by the Slovenian Anti-Doping Organization (SLOADO) within its national anti-doping program in the Republic of Slovenia during the period 2013–2024. From these forms, we extracted various variables, including sex, age, year of testing, type of testing, sport category and sport discipline, as well as self-declared medications, dietary supplements, and medical devices used by the athletes during the week preceding testing. We used descriptive statistics, time-trend analysis, and univariate and hierarchical multivariate logistic regression.
The results showed that the proportion of consent to the research use of samples was high, approximately 80%, and remained relatively stable over the years, without a pronounced upward or downward trend. Demographic factors (sex and age) and the type of testing did not emerge as important predictors of consent. In contrast, statistically significant differences were observed between sports categories. In addition, a higher number of self-declared products, particularly medications, was associated with a lower likelihood of consent, which may reflect greater caution among athletes regarding the disclosure and further processing of more sensitive information. The multivariate models showed low discriminatory power, suggesting that the decision to consent is also importantly influenced by other factors not captured in the analyzed dataset. Based on our findings, we conclude that athletes’ consent to the research use of biological samples collected during doping control is relatively common; however, it is not determined solely by basic demographic and sport-related characteristics. A better understanding of athletes’ decision-making will require further research incorporating psychological and communication-related factors.
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