CHRIS HOY BLASTS DRUG CHEATS

OLYMPIC gold pedal hero Chris Hoy has launched a blistering attack on the cheats in his beloved sport, blasting: “You have to be a psychopath to take drugs.”

Britain’s two-wheel gladiator won an incredible three cycling gold medals in Beijing to add to the gold he won at the 2004 Athens Games and the silver in Sydney eight years ago.

The flying Scotsman puts his phenomenal success down to sheer hard work, dedication and practice.

Peter Keen, UK Sport performance director and former British cycling boss, insists Hoy has beaten rivals who have NOT been clean.

And world, Olympic and Commonwealth champion Hoy declares: “I think some guys maybe do see drugs as the biggest part of their preparation.

“But using drugs would require so much deception and living a lie. People who do it find their own morals or some way to justify it by saying that everyone else is at it and that’s the only way to reach the top.

“But I don’t know how you could stand on the podium, with everyone applauding you.

Achievements

“I think you’d need to be psychopathic to deal with all that and not let it affect you.”

Hoy, 32, has won an incredible 68 world, Olympic, Commonwealth and European medals — 42 of them gold.

However, what saddens him is his tremendous achievements are tainted by the fact that people may suspect he has also taken drugs.

“I don’t actually blame people for being suspicious,” he says in a new book, Heroes, Villains and Velodromes.

“They are told top athletes take drugs.

“There are guys I know who are still racing who would probably bet their entire life’s earnings on the fact that I take drugs because they will not accept I could be beating them without taking drugs.

“It would shatter their ego, all their beliefs, it would destroy them. I’m sure there are even some guys who would not feel resentment towards you if you told them: ‘Oh, I’m taking this or that.’

“Their reaction wouldn’t be: ‘You cheating b******!’ It would be ‘Right, OK, thanks for the advice.’

Horrible

“Doping is something I’m never going to do. I’d rather finish fourth. If I’m beaten by a guy on drugs then that’s the way it goes, but as long as I’m the first clean rider . . . ”

The suspicion also annoys Hoy’s proud mother Carol. “I find it really upsetting,” she admitted. “I know when Chris is standing on the podium getting a medal there are people looking at him thinking ‘I wonder if he’s taken something.’

“That suspicion is horrible. I’m proud of how vocal he’s been about it and I don’t have any doubts about him because he’s always known the difference between right and wrong.”

Keen added: “Chris can sleep at night. He doesn’t have to worry whether the phone is going to ring or the door is going to be kicked down.”

Belief

Britain’s cycling team smashed their rivals in Beijing to win an amazing 14 medals — eight gold, four silver and two bronze.

The Italians had accused Team GB’s track cycling programme of being doped.

But British coach Dave Brailsford regularly blood tests his riders.

And he blasted: “People do say things like that and it really doesn’t bother me. I can sleep with a clear conscience.

“But it is my belief some guys rely on doping. I suspect some look on doping as a substitute for training properly.”