Let’s talk about clean sport

by Melissa Nicholls

Member, UK Anti-doping Athlete Commission

I've always loved enjoying the outdoors, being active and healthy, and throughout my life sport has had a profound impact on me.

In my 20s I had a series of strokes that left me unable to walk, but keeping active helped me heal and gave me back my identity, so I believe that sport contributes to lots of people healing when suffering life-changing injuries or illnesses.

I've been in Paralympic sport since 2012 with athletics, triathlon and cycling, and I’ve also been involved in ultra-cycling, in which athletes' endurance is tested by cycling distances of at least 200 km/125 miles.

Mel Nicholls, paralympian and member of the UK anti-doping athlete commission member, pushes her chair on a race outdoors.

There have been many highlights across my career but for me, London 2012 was a huge moment and it always will be – it was my first Games and at home!

I remember being a relatively new athlete and new to international competitions and taking it all in.

My career in athletics, plus running London marathons and then triathlons, has taken me to some incredible events and I’ve seen some amazing places from racing on the streets of Swansea to Tasmania's coast.

Remember your 'why'

I remember so clearly during competing – however I performed, and whether I got the desired result or not – that I would see young people in the crowds cheering me on and that they would light up with magic when I came over to give them high fives.

When I’m speaking with school children I love hearing their stories of what sport they do and seeing the pride on their faces when they say “I want to be an Olympian or Paralympian”. That’s what makes sport special – the legacy it holds.

One thing that I would say to every athlete is remember your ‘why’. Look back at your journey and ask yourself, why do I love sport?

When I was young, it was the pure joy of being out with friends and playing sport that made me fall in love with it. At the time I didn’t even know how much of an impact sport would have on my journey.

As youngsters, you're taught in a playground, or with your siblings, that sport is about being fair and playing fair, not cheating. There's no reason it should be any different as you grow up.

When I’m speaking with school children I love hearing their stories of what sport they do and seeing the pride on their faces when they say "I want to be an Olympian or Paralympian". That’s what makes sport special – the legacy it holds.

For me, it’s about having faith in those values and understanding them clearly.

Everyone is participating at their very best ability, showing their respect of the sport, respect for themselves, for their teammates, for their competitors and always with integrity at the core, because clean sport is about playing fair.

Creating some positive noise

This week is Clean Sport Week – a time for focused action and awareness, as well as positive noise around anti-doping, and about empowering athletes, support personnel, families and teachers.

We want everyone to know about clean sport, the importance of anti-doping education, awareness around things like medications, supplements and what testing involves.

All of this looks at enabling athletes to come away from Clean Sport Week with a toolkit of the knowledge they need.

Clean Sport should be a normal conversation in clubs, in schools, in the family, around the dinner table... whatever that might be.

So go ahead and use the knowledge you’ve learnt from Clean Sport Week to talk about clean sport and make it routine – just like brushing your teeth twice a day.

Find out more

Clean Sport Week

Let’s talk about clean sport

Remember your 'why'

Creating some positive noise

Find out more

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