British Cycling is proud to be supporting UK Anti-Doping’s third Clean Sport Week, which launches today.

This year’s campaign, which will again have the support of a range of National Governing Bodies (NGBs), sports organisations and UK sports stars, will celebrate clean athletes and their success, and promote the work of the anti-doping community in the fight for clean sport.

Speaking ahead of this year’s Clean Sport Week, four-time Olympic gold medallist Laura Kenny said:

“All athletes should have the education to know what’s right and what’s wrong. I would like to know that when I step onto the start line, we’re all equal and we’re all going into it clean.

“I’ve had experiences in the past where, a couple of weeks after competition, somebody’s had a ban and it just affects you because you’re thinking I gave my all and came fourth and somebody’s just taken away an opportunity that could’ve been massive. It’s the feeling that you get from winning a medal, and somebody’s just taken that away from you.”

During last year’s Clean Sport Week, British Cycling and UK Anti-Doping launched a new partnership to create innovative strategies to tackle cheats, and ensure public faith in cycling. The partnership is the first of its kind and is the initiative of the chairs of British Cycling and UKAD, Frank Slevin and Trevor Pearce respectively.

British Cycling Integrity and Compliance Director, Rod Findlay, added:

“We continue to work tirelessly alongside our partners at UK Anti-Doping in the fight against doping in sport, and we’re proud to again be supporting efforts to raise awareness through Clean Sport Week.

“In order for our sport to thrive, riders, teams and spectators must have complete faith in our ability to uphold the integrity of competition, which makes it absolutely vital that we remain on the front foot and work with others to educate riders as best we can.”

A number of events will take place between 20-26 May to help raise awareness of clean sport and anti-doping programmes led by UKAD, NGBs and sporting bodies across the UK. The campaign will also feature social media videos from a number of British riders, including Laura Kenny, Ed Clancy, Katie Archibald, Elinor Barker, Jason Kenny and Jack Carlin.

Nicole Sapstead, UKAD’s Chief Executive, said: “This year’s Clean Sport Week focuses on Image and Performance Enhancing Drugs (IPEDs), particularly in the gym environment.

“Following a number of media reports in recent months, concerns are growing around the use of IPEDs in this area, particularly with trends like the ‘Love Island look’, and the possibility of this seeping into the sporting arena.

“Last year’s Clean Sport Week was a huge success and hope this year’s event can drive the debate around IPEDs, as well as celebrate the successes of clean athletes and the excellent work done by National Governing Bodies and sporting partners to keep sport clean.”

To find out more about Clean Sport Week, click here.