Beyond Biology and Morality: A Conceptual Analysis of Social Capital as a Structural Driver of Doping among Athletes in Kenya

Sport-related doping is commonly understood with the help of individualistic worldviews based on individual morality, economic gains and law enforcement aberrations. Nevertheless, these explanations can mask a potent influence on social settings that determine the behavior of athletes. This paper offers a conceptual analysis of how social capital, which can be defined as resources that are incorporated into social networks, trust, and institutional relationships, affects the choice of doping among people in Kenya as athletes. It mentions three types of social capital: bonding, bridging, and linking. It critically examines how such types relate to creating vulnerability, access to knowledge, and making ethical decisions. We posit that strong-knit peer networks are able to normalize doping as a result of group pressure, whereas strong bridging ties and institutional isolation increase vulnerability to misinformation, exploitation, and mistrust. The report reveals the notion of post-career insecurity and weak athlete support systems as increasing the risks. This research emphasizes a need to reconsider an anti-doping policy in terms of mentorship, institutional trust, and the welfare of athletes, especially in the context of under-resourced settings, by no longer prioritizing individual responsibility.