Para archer Victoria Kingstone is all about the process in her sport and that goes for anti-doping, too, writes Milly McEvoy.
The 43-year-old from Camberley competed at the 2024 Paralympic Games having first taken up archery in 2017.
Now, she is combining gearing up for another Paralympic cycle with making sure she stays educated on how to keep sport clean.
“I'm not good at goal setting because for me it is all about the process and I know that is cliche in sport,” she said.
“I am not motivated by the gold medal, for me it is that gradual improvement and consistency over time.
“I really want to be at the next Games and to compete well at the events leading up to that.
“My current goal is to get to LA but enjoy the process.”
Last year saw a record number of doping reports to UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) since the launch of its Protect Your Sport reporting campaign in November 2020.
UKAD’s Intelligence and Investigations Team received 211 reports of suspected doping misconduct across 30 sports in 2024.
Part of the reason for the increase in reports is UKAD’s introduction of anonymous reporting via SMS and WhatsApp.
For Kingstone, the ability to report anonymously whilst being able to have a conversation with UKAD, is welcome.
She added: “Regardless of how right you know something is morally in terms of reporting there is always that fear of the repercussions.
“Whether it is reporting somebody, and they turn out to be innocent or if it’s something wider in terms of how that could then have impact on an athlete within the system.
“Anonymity gives athletes the opportunity to freely say what they have witnessed or what their concerns are without fear of those repercussions, good or bad.”
Kingstone also praised the culture within her governing body, Archery GB, for promoting open and honest conversations around anti-doping as well as encouraging education.
For the European bronze medallist, she is pleased to do her bit to keep sport clean.
“In the perfect world we wouldn’t need anti-doping controls because everyone would be a fair athlete,” she said.
“And they wouldn’t go do anything on purpose or accidentally to give themselves a performance advantage.
“I take my responsibility as an athlete in terms of what I am consuming, my anti-doping education and things like that, really seriously.
“I hope I am never in a situation where I have to suspect anything of anyone that I know but is really important that we fully understand the processes and why anti-doping is so vital.”
You can report doping suspicions to UKAD by WhatsApp and SMS (07822 023233), email (pys@reportdoping.com), online (search: Protect Your Sport), or by phone (0800 032 2332).
To find out more and to report your suspicions of doping, search Protect Your Sport.
