Andrew Heyes issues passionate plea to cut doping out of Athletics

When it comes to understanding the scientific research around anti-doping and the real-time effects in top-level sport, there are few people in the world with greater pedigree than Andrew Heyes. The former British indoor 3000m champion has now turned his attention to the marathon, competing in his first one in Manchester at the start of April.

Ad/> A few days prior to that, Heyes will have his viva voce on a PhD thesis which looks at the psychosocial factors that facilitate doping in sport. AthleticsGreetings Gfreidi!!! — European Championships Munich 2022 announce Mascot and Premium-Partner BMW29 MINUTES AGO While not as outspoken as some advocates for clean sport, there are few who have worked more on the cause.

As part of UK Anti-Doping's (UKAD's) Athletes Commission, Heyes has been able to play a leading role in helping to effect change. He explains: «From my perspective, I'm on the Athlete Commission at UKAD, my PhD is in this and I'm quite active in the Athlete Commission in my own sport.

In athletics I'm the Chair of the Athlete Commission, although I wouldn't say I'm particularly well-spoken or comfortable in a public environment, but I feel I have a responsibility to do what I can in the back channels and quieter aspects in making positive changes in the sport. »I'm not someone who relishes the limelight and who would speak out aggressively about this but I'm doing what I can.

There are numerous reasons I've been led down this path, in terms of my own experience and vicarious experience of good mates who have had to deal with this in their careers, of doping behaviours of other athletes." One athlete, in particular, had a major influence on Heyes' own anti-doping journey. Hatti Archer was a decade his senior but