Virtual Reality Approach to Anti-Doping Learning (VIRALS)

Start: 01.01.2021
End: 31.12.2023
Coordinator: Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
ENSE Network Partners:  National University of Physical Education Bucharest (UNEFS), University of Southern Denmark (SDU)
Other Partners: University of Leipzig (DE), Aalborg University (DK), Sheffield Hallam University (UK)
Project Website: TBC
Funding: European Commission / Erasmus+ (622253-EPP-1-2020-1-EL-SPO-SCP)

VIRAL (Virtual Reality Approach in Learning about doping) is a Virtual Reality social simulator where participants experience first-person experiences of the use of doping, both physical and psychological.

The scope of the project is to promote sports integrity and anti-doping ethics for young people in fitness/amateur sports. Our consortium includes a mixture of academics and policymakers from 7 institutions.

In particular, this project will:

1. Utilize cutting-edge behavioural science research about the risk and protective factors against doping use in amateur and grassroots sports to inform the development of an anti-doping Virtual Reality program aiming to assist in the prevention of doping.
2. Use an "open innovation" framework to co-design the anti-doping virtual reality program, through the active collaboration of VR designers and young people engaged in amateur and grassroots sports.
3. Apply and evaluate the effectiveness of the doping prevention Virtual Reality program in changing young people's learning, motivation, beliefs and behaviour towards the use of PAES, and in promoting a more positive mentality about drug-free and health-enhancing physical activity and sports.
4. Train the trainers on how to promote the Virtual Reality program into several the project’s target groups, namely adolescents and young competitive and recreational athletes.