The media coverage about doping in London 2012 Olympic Games: the case of G1 website

Abstract

The issues about doping are frequently in media, mainly during sports mega events such as Olympic Games. Famous athletes like Ben Johnson (Seoul 1988) and Marion Jones (Sydney 2000) were banished by sports organizations, and their career had declined forever. This research aims to study news about doping in an important Brazilian news website during London 2012 Olympic Games, named G1. In so doing that, all the news were selected and categorized from July 25 to August 13 2012 by the following key words: doping and London 2012 Olympic Games. One hundred and ninety one news were identifi ed, but only 145 were related to Olympic Games. Fifty four were found in the website newspaper called "Extra Online", 37 in "Globo Esporte", 23 in "G1", 22 in "O Globo" and 9 in "Época" magazine. The theoretical reference chosen to read news carefully and deeply was the Content Analysis. Two categories emerged from analysis: a) the doubts about the high sport performance of some athletes; b) the necessary punishments to "positive athlete exams". The conclusions point out that media treats athletes like cheaters. It also identifi es World Antidoping Agency (WADA) as an "international police" in a permanent fi ght against doping. This kind of thoughts is very similar to war against drugs, and it makes all the efforts to control athletes and their performances.