Placebo doping in sport: Overview and ethical reflections

Abstract

Placebo effects in sports imply favorable performance outcomes generated by one’s

 

cognition. Placebo use is a form of non-detectible doping for placebo responders. They can

 

be delivered openly or by deceiving the athlete. The current analytical review discusses

 

placebo effects and looks at them in sports and exercise settings. It expands the critical

 

messages of extant review papers with the analyses of two articles looking at athletes’ and coaches’ attitudes towards using placebo doping for enhancing performance in sports. The report highlights that the conclusions of literature reviews might be ‘diluted’ because their studies involve ‘placebo responders’ and ‘non-responders.’ Hence, some effects measured in responders are lower due to no effects in non-responders. Further, the report also

stresses that the nocebo effects are more potent than placebo effects; therefore, coaches should be especially cautious about their words with their athletes. Last, the paper

 

examines ethical issues and discusses how coaches may get a green light to use placebo

 

 doping to exploit their athletes’ mental power.