Bombers captain

Lisa CornishNews Corp Australia Network

CHILDREN believe a third of elite athletes use performance enhancing drugs, a study involving hundreds of kids suggests.

Researchers are now worried recent controversies, from Lance Armstrong's doping admission to the NRL and AFL supplements scandals, are dangerously affecting the minds and attitudes of our future sports stars.

Associate Professor Stephen Moston, from the University of Canberra, said even 12-year-olds were aware of performance enhancing drugs and why they were used.

"They could start to say `if they are using it, why don't I?'" he said.

The new findings, to be presented at the Australian Psychological Society Annual Conference in Cairns next week by Professor Moston and researchers from Griffith University, show kids aged 12 to 17 estimate performance enhancing drugs are being used by 29 per cent of elite athletes.

The 312 children surveyed identified athletics, weightlifting, cycling, swimming and rugby league as the most common sports for doping, with Aussie rules, cricket and tennis also identified as problem sports.

An average of 11 per cent thought drugs were an issue in their own sport, but this figure was higher among rugby league players and rowers.

The study also revealed worrying views among kids about why elite sportspeople take drugs, one participant saying they help "get chicks" and another ``you could win the game and parents, friends, family will be proud''.

Other reasons included that "it will greatly increase performance. This will increase renown and fame, leading to increased salary", "enhance performance to become famous, or a celebrity" and "makes a guy very cool".

Professor Moston said pressure is mounting on talented children at younger and younger ages.

"By the age of 15, 16 or 17, kids need to be performing at an elite level if they want a future in sport," he said.

Parents are being encouraged to discuss the issue with their children.

Why kids think elite sportspeople take drugs:

"A better chance of winning"

"Ability to be faster, to be able to have lots of stamina"

"Be a warrior"

"Be heaps sick"

"Being longer playing your sport"

"Better performance, increase weight if needed"

"Bigger body build, faster reflexes"

"Boosts their self-confidence and makes them believe in themselves"

"Enhance performance to become famous, or a celebrity"

"Everyone has different genetical make up-so they would be equal"

"Gain muscle tissue, gain of build for your whole body but your penis"

"Get big and buff like my dad"

"Help them have a better appearance"

"If you're resting an injury you recover quicker"

"Improve in all aspects of your body development and performance in your sport"

"Improve physical ability and recovery, improve self-esteem because you can see yourself getting better"

"It can give them the upper hand in the sport"

"It shows through your body that the drugs are working"

"It will greatly increase performance. This will increase renown and fame, leading to increased salary"

"It will heighten your abilities"

"Make you more dominate in your sport, compete better than your opponent"

"Makes a guy very cool"

"The capability to win in a competitive sport, where the probability of their winning was previously in doubt"

"They get chicks"

"They wouldn't feel a thing when they are hurt and it makes them stronger"

"You could win the game and parents, friends, family will be proud"