Doping constitutes one of the main problems in sports. The importance of sociological research on doping is widely accepted. However, such studies in Cyprus are scarce. The purpose of this study was twofold; first, it aimed to examine the knowledge about doping and the attitudes and perceptions towards sports and doping of high-school student athletes in Cyprus; and second, it aimed to explore whether the knowledge about doping and attitudes and perceptions towards sports and doping vary among student athletes with different characteristics (gender, nationality, engagement with team vs. individual sport, and grade level). The participants of this study were 164 high-school student athletes (16.6 ± 0.9 years old) who study in sports high schools in Cyprus, out of whom 106 were males (65.6%) and 57 (34.8%) females. Data were collected through the use of a questionnaire that was anonymously completed by the participants. A quantitative approach was used for analyzing the data. Descriptive statistics were calculated (i.e., mean, SD, and total scores for knowledge), and non-parametric tests (Mann–Whitney, Kruskal–Wallis) were employed, for comparing responses among different athlete groups on their knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of doping. The findings reveal that most of the participants lack basic knowledge on doping issues. In terms of their attitudes and perceptions, most of the participants considered doping a serious problem in sports while demonstrating mostly negative attitudes towards doping. Statistically significant differences were found to exist in terms of knowledge among students of different nationalities and high-school grade levels. Also, statistically significant differences were found to exist in terms of attitudes and perceptions towards sports and doping among students of different genders and sport categories (individual vs. team), while differences were also found to exist among students of different nationalities in relation to their attitudes towards sports. The findings have implications for policymaking and educational practices, with the most prevalent need being to design and implement training programs to raise awareness among young athletes about critical features of doping and sports.

The use of virtual reality (VR) in older adults promotes improvements in mobility, strength, and balance. Changes in neuromuscular activation have been found to be associated with these improvements; however, during VR activities, this aspect has not been thoroughly investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate neuromuscular activation among older female adults during VR activities. Sixteen older female adults, with the use of VR, performed dynamic punching movements involving elbow flexion/extension for one minute, and the muscle activation of the bicep brachii was recorded with electromyography (EMG) and normalized to the maximal voluntary isometric contraction of elbow flexion. The one-minute activity was divided into three time phases: 0–10 s, 25–35 s, and 50–60 s. The five highest EMG amplitude values (%) in each phase were selected and averaged. Differences between phases were analyzed using repeated ANOVA (α_adj = 0.017). The EMG amplitude for the first phase was 39.1 ± 2.6%, that for the second phase was 44.8 ± 3.0%, and that for the third phase was 49.6 ± 3.1%. Statistically significant differences were found in all phases, with the first phase demonstrating a lower EMG amplitude (%) compared to the second (p = 0.002) and third phases (p = 0.000). The third phase demonstrated a higher EMG amplitude (%) compared to the second phase (p = 0.025). Engagement in VR activities can have significant effects on neuromuscular activation in older female adults, with our findings revealing a significant increase in the EMG amplitude within one minute of commencing a dynamic and challenging activity such as virtual boxing.