9 Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences Antropomotoryka. Journal of Kinesiology and Exercise Sciences JKES 99 (32): 9-17, 2022 DOI: 10.5604/01.3001.0015.9431 (1.2) Authors’ contribution: A. Study design/planning B. Data collection/entry C. Data analysis/statistics D. Data interpretation E. Preparation of manuscript F. Literature analysis/search G. Funds collection Received: 31.05.2022 Revised: 03.06.2022 Accepted: 22.06.2022 Published: 25.06.2022 This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License CC BY-SA (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) THE ATTITUDES AND BELIEFS OF PARALYMPIANS AND ATHLETES WITH DISABILITIES ON DOPING IN SPORT Magdalena Zmuda Palka 1 ABDEFG , Monika Bigosińska 2 CDEF , Michał Spieszny 3 AEF 1 University of Physical Education in Krakow, Institute of Humanities, Section of Pedagogy, Poland 2 University of Applied Sciences in Nowy Sącz, Institute of Physical Culture, Poland 3 University of Physical Education in Krakow, Institute of Sports Sciences, Poland Keywords: doping; performance-enhancing drugs (PED); Paralympic athlete; PEAS Abstract: Background: This study aims to analyze the opinions and attitudes of elite athletes with disabilities. Methods: Study participants included a group of elite Polish team members competing in international competitions (including Paralympics) in various sports. The research sample consisted of 100 individuals, including 67 men (67%) and 33 women (33%). The descriptive exploratory design used an instrument that combined a validated questionnaire (Performance Enhancement Attitude Scale; PEAS) with a special questionnaire adapted to athletes with disabilities. Results: The overall mean score from the PEAS scale (range, 11–66, with higher scores representing more permissive attitudes towards doping) was 20.61 ± 11.35, with 21.20 ± 10.96 in men, 19.39 ± 12.20 in women, 20.46 ± 10.92 in Paralympians and world championship participants (Masters), and 21.14 ± 13.16 in other competitors. For more than half (58%) of respondents, doping is uncommon in sports, and sports success can be achieved without doping (88%). The vast majority of respondents (90%) do not know people who use doping. Conclusion: The lack of response and hesitation in answers suggest that the respondents did not use doping but also were unaware of doping. Therefore, it seems necessary to implement anti-doping education for athletes with disabilities from the early stages of their sports careers. Introduction Modern sport is focused on success, generating high-level performance, and crossing physiological barriers. Break- ing records and winning is associated with financial benefits but it also raises the social prestige of the athlete. Some competitors try every possible means in order to achieve better results and success in sport, including using doping. Although the use of prohibited substances violates the ethical principles of sport and medicine and is contrary to the spirit of sport [30], doping is still a current problem in modern sport as the development of medicine, pharmacology, and technology helps contestants to use increasingly advanced improvements. Despite the high interest of organiza- tions that ensure compliance with the Anti-Doping Code that clearly defines the objectives of the World Anti-Doping Programme [4,30], athletes are caught using prohibited performance enhancers or taking ‘shortcuts’ [32]. The topic of doping has been raised many times in research papers in recent years. However, those reports mainly concerned the use of prohibited means and methods to improve the body’s functioning. Our research interest is fo- cused not on the medical but rather social context of using doping. To date, several social studies have been published