缅北禁地

Dr Andrew Richardson PhD, BSc, MSc, PGCE, QTLS, AFHEA, MCIMSPA

Current Employment 

03/2024 – Ongoing – Research Associate in Gambling Harms at 缅北禁地. 

I started this role on the 1st of March 2024 as a research associate to lead the research arm of the Associate Directors of Public Health (ADPH) North East Gambling Related Harms Programme. I am also tasked to evaluate the programme to assess if it has helped to better understand the health and well-being outcomes caused by gambling-related harms in the North East. The program is hosted by Middlesbrough Council and will operate across the 12 North East authorities. The program evaluation will be undertaken by researchers from the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Northeast and North Cumbria (ARC NENC) at 缅北禁地, led by Professor Eileen Kaner and Dr Katie Thomson with input from the ADPH North East gambling related harms network. The project will seek to address gambling related harm across primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.

Since being in post I have produced and or completed the following requests. Created a research prioritisation framework and led a workshop with the regional network to assess what research projects the network would be interested in conducting over the course of the programme. From analysing the scores of the network I was able to create my work stream as a result of the needs assessment. Since compiling these scores I have been working on these projects and have published an academic slide deck into gambling related harms which is available on the ADPH North East website. My next project regarding drug and alcohol workers and gambling has completed data collection and I am now writing up the results. The third project is on gambling in video games and esports which is underway with the potential of additional work if successful with a research bid. I am also leading a systematic review which is now wrapping up the screening stages before commencing the writing. Finally, I am providing support to all local authority teams in the form of research guidance and development to their health needs assessments and pilots. 

05/22 – Ongoing - Social Media Manager and Editor – International Journal of Esports. 

This role is on a voluntary basis helping with the Social Media side for the Journal. I am assisting the Chief Editor review and produce the content by drafting posts, preparing posts ready for multiple platforms, whilst generating a larger audience for the authors, editorial board and the IJESPORTS membership base. The sites I manage personally include, LinkedIn and Twitter pages. Please see a sample of my works on LinkedIn and on Twitter. Since I took over social media from May 2022, the LinkedIn page has grown from 436 followers to now 1003 followers (October 2025) which is an increase of 130%. Twitter has increased from 666 (21.77% increase) followers to 811 (over the same time period).

Previous Employment

10/19 – 02/2024 – PhD Student in the School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Law. Title: Understanding the Perceptions of Physical Inactivity between Residents and Stakeholders in the Tees Valley. The rise and fall of the industry across Teesside is well documented alongside the issues of precarious work and post-industrial economies. However, what is not well explored is how the history of the area and the timeline set the foundations for the current health issues. These health problems are a concentration effect set by the geography that is based upon multiple variables which have created the environment for health inequalities and stigmas to manifest. This thesis is known as the “Tees Valley Effect” which is centered upon the high levels of sedentary behaviours, physical inactivity, health stigmas and perceptions of risks, obesogenic environments and ineffective active travel networks and policies. The methodology was based on an inductive approach using the grounded theory and mixed methods design to generate a large sample of data. Utilising online questionnaires to both residents and stakeholders during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns, generated over 1300 responses. These responses highlighted significant quantitative results that show multiple variables impact total physical activity levels. Particularly prominent was the female residents with 64.88% probability presenting with a low level of physical activity. Finally, irrespective of sex, Tees Valley residents are 41 x more likely to have a categorically low physical activity score compared to being highly active. From the qualitative data gathered and analysed using a thematic analyses approach, nine unique themes and 63 sub-themes across both groups were created. These themes covered a broad range of topics which revealed differences between residents’ and stakeholders’ experiences and observations to being physically active.

12/22 – 07/23 Senior Harm Reduction Worker, Change Grow Live, Spring House in Northampton. Change Grow Live are a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives. Their core values are; "Be open, be compassionate and be bold" and our teams apply these daily offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each user as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options. The role of Senior Harm Reduction worker supports the team leader and worked to develop, implement, maintain and evaluate prevention promotion and harm reduction strategies. My role involved delivering the harm reduction and needle exchange services at Spring House to our service-users. In addition, I was tasked with running the IPED training to all staff and linked stakeholders and service-users. 

6/18 – 6/19 President Activities of Teesside University Student’s Union TUSU 

I was elected to be the President of Activities to represent student issues at Teesside University (TU). This role involved me representing the 22,000 to voice their student opinions and ensure the students are represented. TUSU is a registered charity that provides academic representation, welfare advice, retail outlet and social activities to the students at TU. As President of Activities, I was responsible for International Students, Sports Clubs, Societies, Athletic Union tour, Well Being, Careers and Volunteering. I helped with the university’s sports strategy, sat on the Board of Governors for TU and the Board of Trustees for TUSU. Finally, I also acted as the TUSU representative for all student appeals and grades across all schools. I organised and ran the first ever sports and health careers fair aimed at our school of health students. 

QUALIFICATIONS

2019 – 2024 Teesside University 

• PhD in Social Policy (awaiting Graduation on July 11th 2024)

2021 – 2021 Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA)

• Chartered Health and Activity Practitioner (MCIMSPA) Pass 

2019 – 2020 Teesside University 

• Associate Fellow (AFHEA) Pass 

2019 – 2020 Teesside University 

• Qualified Teacher Learning & Skills (QTLS) Pass

2017-2018 Teesside University 

• Professional Graduate Certificate in Education: Education and Training (PGCE) (Pass)

2016-2017 Teesside University 

• MSc Sport and Exercise Science (Merit)

2013-2016 Teesside University 

• BSc Applied Sport Science (First Class Honors) 

Professional Bodies and Memberships

• 2024-25 Faculty of Public Health (Associate Membership) / Membership number 63980
• 2024-25 Fuse (Associate Membership)
• 2024-25 Esports Research Network
• 2024-25 Virtual Sports Research Network

Funding Bids and Contribution to Projects 

• I am part of a successful research bid to the UKRI as part of the Rapid Evidence Reviews into Gambling Harms. Led by Dr Christopher Wilson (Teesside University) to conduct a systematic review (end Jan 2026 or early Feb 2026 to start for 6 months). Titled: Sports engagement as a gateway activity to gambling activity: a systematic review and intersectional analysis of the compound vulnerabilities to gambling harm. The total amount is 45,667.21. The scheme is the UKRI/AHRC Gambling Rapid Evidence Review.

• I contributed to the National Lottery Community Fund Climate Action Programme. The proposal, led by Middlesbrough Environment City in partnership with four other community organizations, was successful and we were awarded around £1.6m over five years to engage young people and the local community in actions to address climate change locally (August 2020). Evidence of my involvement can be provided upon request. 

Research Profile Links

Google Scholar:

ResearchGate:

Orcid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7184-5930

Publications In Order by Year (first to most recent)

2019

• Richardson, A., Dixon, K. and Kean, J., 2019. Superheroes–image and performance enhancing drug (IPED) use within the UK, social media and gym culture. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 64, pp.28-30. Retrieved from:  

• Richardson, A. and Antonopoulos, G.A., 2019. Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS) users on AAS use: Negative effects, ‘code of silence’, and implications for forensic and medical professionals. Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 68, p.101871. Retrieved from: 

2020

• Richardson, A., Chen, M.A. Comment on: “Sport and Transgender People: A Systematic Review of the Literature Relating to Sport Participation and Competitive Sport Policies”. Sports Medicine (2020). Retrieved from:  

• Kotzé, J., Richardson, A. and Antonopoulos, G., 2020. Looking ‘Acceptably’Feminine: A Single Case Study of a Female Bodybuilder’s Use of Steroids. Performance Enhancement and Health. Retrieved from: 

2022

• Richardson, A., Smith, P., & Berger, N. (2022). Zwift’s Anti–Doping Policy: Is it open to Cheating?. International Journal of Esports, 3(3). Retrieved from:  

• Richardson, A. and Chen, M., 2022. Female Competitive Powerlifters relationship with Body Image: Utilising the Multidimensional Body Image Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ). The Sports Journal, 24. Retrieved from:  

2023

• Kotzé, J., Richardson, A. and Antonopoulos, G., 2023. Getting Big but Not Hard: A Retrospective Case-Study of A Male Powerlifter’s Experience of Steroid-Induced Erectile Dysfunction. International Journal of Drug and Policy, 121, 104195. Retrieved from:  

• Richardson, A., Berger, N and Smith, P., 2023. Perceptions of Cheating and Doping in E-Cycling. Communication. Sports Journal. Retrieved from: 

2024

• Chen, M & Richardson, A 2024, 'Male Competitive Powerlifters relationship with Body Image: Utilising the Multidimensional Body Image Self Relations Questionnaire (MBSRQ)', The Sports Journal, vol. 22, no. 3. Retrieved from:  

• Richardson, A., Tjønndal, A., Demetrovics, Z. and Bates, G., 2024. Issues and Threats to the Integrity of Esports. Performance Enhancement & Health, p.100297. Retired from:  

• Richardson, A. (2024). The enhanced games or enhancing harm?. Performance Enhancement & Health, 12(3), 100285. Retrieved from:

• Lundberg, T, Tucker, R, McGawley, K, Williams, AG, Millet, GP, Sandbakk, Ø, Howatson, G, Brown, GA, Carlson, LA, Chantler, S, Chen, M, Heffernan, SM, Heron, N, Kirk, C, Murphy, MH, Pollock, N, Pringle, J, Richardson, A, Santos-Concejero, J, Stebbings, GK, Christiansen, AV, Phillips, SM, Devine, C, Jones , C, Pike, J & Hilton, E 2024. Retrieved from: 

• Mbabazi, J., MacGregor, F., Breckon, J., Tolchard, B., Watson, D., Hogg, J., Kunonga, E., Nalweyiso, D.I., Teke, J., Dawson, R. and Kagugube, G.W., 2024. Exploring the barriers and facilitators to making healthy physical activity lifestyle choices among UK BAME adults during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review of qualitative study. Cogent Public Health, 11(1), p.2294518. Retrieved from:  

• Tucker, R., Hilton, E.N., McGawley, K., Pollock, N., Millet, G.P., Sandbakk, Ø., Howatson, G., Brown, G.A., Carlson, L.A., Chen, M.A...... 2024. Fair and Safe Eligibility Criteria for Women's Sport. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 34(8), p.e14715. Retrieved from:   

• Richardson, A. (2024). Entering Cheat Codes or to Play True: Where is Anti-Doping going within Esports? . International Journal of Esports, 1(1). Retrieved from:  

• Richardson, A., Kean, J., Fleming., Hudson, J., Kanayama., and Pope, H., 2024. Anabolic Steroid Users’ Attitudes Towards General Practitioners in the United Kingdom. Performance Enhancement and Health. Volume 12, Issue 4. Retrieved from:  

• Richardson, A. (2024). Further considerations and questions regarding the enhanced games. Performance Enhancement & Health, 100306. Retrieved from:  

• Tucker, R., Hilton, E. N., McGawley, K., Pollock, N., Millet, G. P., Sandbakk, Ø., ... & Lundberg, T. R. (2024). Reply to Williams et al.: Fair and Safe Eligibility Criteria for Women's Sport. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 34(11). Retrieved from:  

2025

• Akrigg, K., Cox, L., Turnock, L., Richardson, A., and Piatkowski, T. (2025). If you find me on the floor, stick some sugar in my mouth: The social production (and protection) of insulin risk among image and performance enhancing drug communities. International Journal of Drug and Policy. Retrieved from:  

• A Lopes da Silva Candeo, S Reyes, N Haller, A Richardson, H Preuss, T Souvignet, T Könecke, M Schubert. (2025). Governance and integrity challenges in esports: A scoping review. Performance Enhancement and Health. Volume 13, Issue 4. Retrieved from: 

• Richardson, A. (2025). An Updated Classification of Cheating in Esports. International Journal of Esports (IJESPORTS), 1(1). Retrieved from

• Berger, N., Smith, P., and Richardson, A. (2025). The Popularity of Zwift: A Sport, Training Aid, or Game? International Journal of Esports (IJESPORTS). Retrieved from https://www.ijesports.org/article/158/html

2026

• Dyer, B., and Richardson, A. (2026). Dying to be successful? Revisiting the Goldman dilemma in the age of cycling esports. International Journal of Esports (IJESPORTS). International Journal of Esports, 1(1). Retrieved from:

Manuscripts pending Publication

• Mathias, S., Hufft, R., Richardson, A., and Haller, Nils., et al (2025). Prevalence and perceptions of performance-enhancing substances in esports. Journal of Managing Sport and Leisure

To date I have amassed 313 citations. For more information see here:

Conference Abstracts/Presentations/Panel Discussions

• Richardson, A., Lloyd, A., Antonopoulos, G. and Emerson, J., 2022, June. Exploring Behaviour Correlates of Physical Inactivity across the Tees Valley. In The 5th Fuse International Conference: Learning from Setbacks and Successes.  

• Human Enhancement Network panel discussion about esports and doping, discussing the impact of performance-enhancing substances in esports. 24th of April 2024. Link:

• June 16th - 17th 2025 I presented my findings at the “Current Advances in Gambling Research” (CAGR) hosted by the Academic Forum for the Study of Gambling (AFSG) in Glasgow at the University of Glasgow. This is a 3-minute presentation on my project titled, “Understanding Drug and Alcohol Workers Experiences of Gambling Related Harms in treatment settings in the North East”.

Media Appearances/Contributions to Articles/Work Mentioned In (Latest is top of list)

• How do People Cheat in Esports: Updating 20 years of Research. - December 2025. Retrieved from:

• Virtual Sports Network - The Hidden Threat: Cheating and Doping in Virtual Sports. - November 2025. Retrieved from:

• FUSE Blog - Changing the narrative on gambling harms in the North East. - October 2025. Retrieved from:

• Escape Collective - Is cycling esports just a bunch of cheaters and weight dopers? - March 2025: Retrieved from:  

• Esports Legal News - Wall Hacks by Dr Andrew Richardson - March 2025: Retrieved from:  

• Esports Legal News - Doping by Dr Andrew Richardson - Feb 2025: Retrieved from:  

• Esports Legal News - Feeding by Dr Andrew Richardson - Feb 2025: Retrieved from:  

• Virtual Velo Podcast-Ep. 44: Anti-Cheating Esports Researcher Dr. Andrew Richardson and the 2024/25 Zwift Elite Race Book Breakdown  

• Threats and Issues to the Integrity of Virtual Sports and eSports. Virtual Sports Network. Published on the 12/06/2024 Link:  

• How vanity is fuelling Britain's growing steroid epidemic: Men young and old are turning to freely available drugs to win online praise and adoration. Published on the 21/05/2024 Link:  

• The Zwift Big Spin: The Fitness Phenomenon That’s Sweeping the Metaverse—Should We Worry? Published on the 15.04/2024 Link:  

• Olympics' transgender policy goes against science, say academics. Published on the 21/03/2024 Link:  

• Sportive Tricks Strength and Conditioning – Unveiling the Truth: How Powerlifting Transforms Body Image and Shatters Stereotypes – January 2024: Retrieved from:

• Cycling Esports Platforms indieVelo and MyWhoosh are Taking Anti-Cheating Seriously: Shedding Light on a Dark Issue. Published on the 05/12/2023 by The Zommunique. Link:   

• indieVelo and MyWhoosh: A New Era in Anti-Cheating Measures. Published on the 13/12/2023 Link:  

• The Digital Doping Dilemma: Zwift’s Battle Against Cheating in Esports Cycling. Published on the 27/08/2023 Link:  

• 'SARM Goblins': The Young Men Hooked on Steroids. Published by VICE Media on the 28/06/2022. Link:  

• Is Zwift’s Anti-Doping Policy Enough to Eradicate Cheating Culture? Published on the 04/04/2022 by The Zommunique. Link:  

• International Cycling: Is Zwift’s Anti-Doping Policy Enough to Eradicate Cheating Culture? Published on the 12/04/2022 by Cycling News. Link:  

• Teesside Uni Expert Gives Lowdown On Esports. Published on the 23/03/2020 by Middlesbrough Football Club. Link:  

• How Welshmen went from mining coal to pumping iron. Published on the 29/06/2019 by the Economist. Link:  

• Ep.32 Discussing Hyperandrogenism in Athletics with Andrew Richardson. Published on the 14/10/2018 by the Anti-Doping Podcast. Link:  

• Are steroids becoming increasingly popular in gyms? Published on the 01/08/2018 on Turkish Radio Television (TRT) World Roundtable. Link:  

Special Issue and Editorial Roles

Performance Enhancement & Health (PEH) invites submissions for a special issue on Integrity, Health and Governance Issues in Esports and Virtual Sports where I am one of the guest editors on. To achieve elite sporting performance, some athletes, coaches, sports organizations, and other stakeholders engage in behaviours that may be unethical, unhealthy, or problematic for various reasons. Link to the call for papers:

Performance Enhancement & Health (PEH) invited submissions for a special issue on the Enhanced Games. I was the sole guest editor for this issue as all the articles published referenced my article titled, “Enhanced Games or Enhancing Harm?”. The special issue generated 4 responses to my piece with an additional article by myself summarising the findings and asking additional questions to the Enhanced Games. Link to issue:  

Editor Picks

Performance Enhancement and Health Volume 12, Issue 4 - Richardson, A., Kean, J., Fleming., Hudson, J., Kanayama., and Pope, H., 2024. Anabolic Steroid Users’ Attitudes Towards General Practitioners in the United Kingdom. Performance Enhancement and Health. Volume 12, Issue 4. Retrieved from: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211266924000501 

Current Teaching

• I am supporting a student from the School of Psychology (department of Psychology) in their dissertation project. They have selected one of my proposed research ideas titled, "Esports and Video Games: Teachers Views on the Gamblification of Gaming". I will update once the study has been completed. Commencing October 2025 - end date March/April 2026.

• I am supporting a student from the School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences (department of Sport and Exercise Science) in their dissertation project. They have selected one of my proposed research ideas titled, "The Enhanced Games or Enhancing future Athletes?: University Elite Athletes Perspectives on the "Doped" Olympic Games". I will update once the study has been completed. Commencing October 2025 - end date March/April 2026.

Previous Teaching and Coaching Experience

• 10/2018 – 03/2020 Teesside University Course Creation and Developments – I helped to re design and structure the module (Exercise and Conditioning) on the BSc Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation Degree at Teesside University 2019/2020. I also created the MA Esports 11/2018 at Teesside University and helped to rewrite the BSc Sport and Exercise science degree 2019. Evidence for all can be provided. 

• 10/2019 – 03/2020 Teesside University Sports Therapy Lecturer (part of QTLS submission) All students were 1st year students in the post 14 age range (between 18 – 42 years old). The lessons were a combination of theory and practical's embedded across all classes. The subjects I taught included Employability, Periodization and Exercise Selection/Planning, coaching of Upper and Lower Body compound exercises. Semester cut short due to COVID – 19. 

• 10/2018 – 06/2019 PGCE Placements - These placements were across an array of ages and educational establishments within the Middlesbrough and Tees Valley region. They included the following: a) Teesside Students Union coaching the Teesside Barbarians Powerlifting Club (43 hours), b) Teesside University Sport and Exercise Science Department (67.5 hours) teaching students for their Level 2 Gym Instructor Award. Finally, c) Recovery Connections (mainly through the Live Well Centre which I discussed above 156.75 hours) working with drug and alcohol rehabilitation patients.



• 03/2018 – 05/2018 Change Grow Live (CGL) - This involved working directly with members of the public either who have had a history of, or who are currently dealing with mental health issues, dual diagnosis, substance abuse, alcoholism and/or criminal offences. Role entailed similar work to my previous gym instructor work at Teesside University, demonstrating how to use the equipment, providing training and nutritional advice in addition to providing motivational support during training sessions. The role also includes the operation and maintenance of the gym building and its equipment. I induct new members into the gym by showing them the facilities operating procedures, how to use the resistance machines, demonstrate health and safety when using cardiovascular machines and free weight exercises. March 26th to April 30th (125 Hours paid work). I did volunteer in a similar role from Jan 2018 – mid March 2018 before being hired at the same company and department (30 hours of volunteering).