Predictable outcomes in sports hurt fair play and make games less exciting for fans. International sports federations were mandated by the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency to develop whistleblowing policies to aid in the fight against sports corruption. However, many Caribbean NGBs adopted policies from other countries without considering the culture and beliefs of their athletes. Because of this, many athletes and sports leaders tend to ignore these policies. Also, there is a lack of available courses to educate sports leaders and athletes about whistleblowing in Trinidad.
Research on whistleblowing has identified the absence of education on this topic as a primary reason for the failure of whistleblowing policies. It emphasizes the importance of NGBs in educating their leaders and athletes about these policies. The researcher examined 265 articles on whistleblowing that proposed various strategies to encourage athletes to report misconduct.
The study employed a qualitative approach that utilized semi-structured interview questions. Data collection was conducted using purposive and snowball sampling methods, which aligned with the design outlined by Charmaz’s (2008) version of constructivist grounded theory (CGT) for theory development. The researcher used the Taguette software to analyse the interview transcripts, forming codes, categories, and concepts relating to the participants’ narratives. Using GT theoretical sampling, the researcher determined which data should be collected based on the theory being developed.
The researcher utilized a flexible CGT approach to examine various strategies to enhance athletes’ motivation. These strategies included developing specialized educational programs for sports leaders and encouraging their participation in awareness initiatives. Additionally, the researcher integrated identified educational and cognitive strategies into accredited curricula.
This approach aims to foster acceptance of policies and promote long-term social development, particularly in exploring neuroeducation to enhance athletes’ understanding and acceptance of whistleblowing. A theoretical model was developed to encourage athletes to report misconduct by structuring the learning environment to facilitate the acquisition of relevant competencies. The study’s theoretical framework enabled the researcher to identify effective leadership strategies for promoting whistleblowing.