Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Pharmacists have emerged as important healthcare professionals in the field of sports, playing a crucial role in ensuring athlete safety and well-being. This study aims to explore the perspective of community pharmacists in Malaysia on sports pharmacy services, an emerging and underexplored area within community pharmacy practice. METHODS: Semi-structured online interview were conducted among community pharmacists between February and August 2024. Data were transcribed verbatim and analyzed using framework method, with themes mapped to the constructs of the Integrated Behavioral Model. RESULTS: Eleven pharmacists were interviewed, yielding three themes: the moral imperative and gatekeeper role; structural and capability deficits; and the conditional intention to adopt a new niche. Participants demonstrated a positive attitude toward clean sport and identified a professional gap in protecting amateur athletes from unregulated supplements. However, a significant intention-behavior gap was revealed where the willingness to act is currently obstructed by environmental constraints, specifically the lack of standardized policies, remuneration models, and private counseling infrastructure, alongside low personal agency regarding the specialized needs of athletes. Furthermore, intention was found to be conditional on knowledge as those with prior anti-doping education viewed the service as a strategic business niche, while those without focused on professional risk. CONCLUSION: Community pharmacists need enhanced knowledge and training to deliver extended services related to sports. Addressing identified barriers will require collaboration between government, pharmacy bodies, and anti-doping agencies. Findings may guide future studies to develop sports pharmacy as a valuable niche in community pharmacy services.