Javier Bello hails UKAD's attempts to keep sport clean

Javier Bello and his brother Joaquin are the first British male pair to play at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships. They are the top British pairing on sand, earning Commonwealth Games bronze at Birmingham 2022 and a historic first World Tour victory last year in Rio de Janeiro.

Javier Bello and his brother Joaquin have cemented themselves as the top British pairing on sand in recent years, earning Commonwealth Games bronze at Birmingham 2022 and a historic first World Tour victory last year in Rio de Janeiro. 

Beach volleyball is a sport that historically has had little to do with doping incidents but with growing concerns around doping in sport worldwide, Bello is just one of many athletes concerned as to whether his sport is as clean as he initially believed. 

Last year, UKAD received 211 reports of doping from the sporting community, and with the opportunity to anonymously contact the organisation, Bello knows just how important they are to protecting clean sport. 

"It's crucial to have an institution like UKAD because they have a really good reputation of being impartial and that means that you can go to them without being scared that you are in danger," he said. 

"They're actually the people keeping you safe. In some National Governing Bodies or within your own sport, athletes might not feel so safe or so protected by the people around them. 

"It's good to have an independent body outside that. If it wasn't for that, we would struggle to bring to light a lot of doping issues or we would never as athletes whistle blow on somebody else cheating." 

Athletes have the opportunity to contact UKAD in five different ways if they suspect someone of doping. 

Their WhatsApp and SMS anonymous contact methods were launched in Autumn 2024 off the back of behavioural change research barriers to reporting doping in sport.  The anonymous SMS and Whatsapp messaging allows the reporter to message UKAD with information, and for UKAD to reply, without seeing the person’s name or number. 

"It's really useful to have the new anonymous service because that's what's going to allow people to actually be able to whistle blow and call out cheaters," he said. 

"Now you can contact them in more ways than ever, you can WhatsApp them, SMS them, call or email them, or fill out an online form. 

"It's easier than ever, and at the same time, it's really safe. So, I recommend if anybody has any suspicions that they should raise them and UKAD can help." 

Training side by side with his brother and coached by their dad, Bello is part of a close-knit family who know how to hold each other accountable at every turn when it comes to anti-doping. 

In order to keep his own anti-doping knowledge up-to-date, Bello and his brother complete anti-doping education at the beginning of each season. If they do not, they will not be allowed to compete on the international circuit. 

It's a simple yet efficient system that makes sure athletes know what to look out for and who to go to if they have any suspicions of doping. 

And with the ultimate purpose of keeping sport clean and safe at the heart of it, Bello is encouraging all athletes to report any suspicions, no matter how small, in order to play their part in  removing cheats from sport 

"You shouldn't ever hesitate to call out people that are cheating and if you have suspicions, even if you're not sure, you should always raise it ," he said. 

"If it turns out that there's no cheating happening, then nothing bad happens. 

"But if you point it out and there is cheating happening then you should be proud that you're responsible for calling it out and bringing people that are destroying what sport is supposed to be about to light. 

"If you start allowing doping or not condoning it by even just ignoring it, that's going to destroy that culture. I think, in the long run, it would destroy sports and the entertainment value of it as well." 

Clean athletes have the most to lose when doping goes unreported. By speaking up and using UKAD’s Protect Your Sport service, athletes protect their own achievements and ensure fair competition for everyone. To report doping, search: Protect Your Sport.