Anti-doping in China: An analysis of the policy implementation processes through the stakeholders' perspectives

Abstract

Despite the vast research on achieving a high level of compliance with anti-doping policies (from the World Anti-Doping Code to national anti-doping regulations), little is known about the implementation of Chinese anti-doping policy. According to information from WADA, China has made impressive progress in enforcing anti-doping regulations, which suggests that China demonstrates some degree of genuineness in promoting the true spirit of competitive sport. As one of the most populous places in the world, covering approximately 9.6 million square kilometres, a question remains as to how are anti-doping policies and practices implemented in this country? Both primary and secondary collection methods were used to answer this question. Secondary data was gathered from existing literature on Chinese sport-related policies and relevant Chinese anti-doping policy documents. The collection of primary data was divided into two stages. In the first stage, data was collected through semi-structured face to face interviews with representatives of CHINADA, local sports bureaus, sports universities and sports schools, journalists, coaches and athletes in China. During the second stage, data was again collected through semi-structured telephone interviews with senior manager from WADA and other countries' NADOs in order to corroborate and clarify some general trends discovered in the preliminary analysis of the data from the first stage of the data collection. In total, data from 42 valid interviews was collected for this research. The results of this research focus systematically on five aspects of Chinese anti-doping work, namely: anti-doping education and prevention; doping testing and investigation; analysis; results management and punishment; and bilateral policy. Moreover, this study explains how the main Chinese anti-doping policies are constructed within its unique political system. The research also demonstrates how formal and informal Chinese institutions have impacted on people's behaviour and how this behaviour influences policy development and Code compliance. This leads to reflection upon policy theory and the policy process specific to the Chinese context. The aim is to fill the gap in existing Western literature about the process of Chinese anti-doping related policy-making and to reveal the uniqueness of the Chinese anti-doping administration system and its impact on the behaviour of the relevant personnel.