The role of comprehensive education in anti-doping policy legitimacy and support among clean athletes

•Athletes receiving comprehensive ADE are more supportive of anti-doping policies than athletes who haven’t received ADE.•Anti-doping education can increase the legitimacy of authorities implementing anti-doping policies.•Perceptions of legitimacy have both direct and indirect effects, through social cognitive variables, on intentions to support anti-doping policies.•The effect of legitimacy perceptions on intentions to support anti-doping policies is invariant across the countries, but mean differences exist.