‘Nearly half the country believes drug-taking is rife in sport’ – Telegraph.co.uk

Almost half the country believes drug-taking is rife in sport, according to “alarming” new research commissioned by UK Anti-Doping.

The chief executive of UKAD, Nicole Sapstead, last night warned the industry was at a “critical” juncture after a survey of 2,000 British adults exposed a crisis of confidence spawned by some of the biggest scandals of recent years.

The results of last month’s poll, published today to mark the start of the first National Clean Sport Week, found 48 per cent of those questioned believed doping was widespread following a series of high-profile revelations.

Two-thirds also reported that their trust in the integrity of sport had been eroded by stories about drugs at the elite level.

Those stories include the Russian doping scandal, the Sir Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky medication row, missed tests by Lizzie Deignan and Sir Mo Farah, and the ongoing investigation into the latter’s coach.