UK Anti-Doping to increase testing backed by new government funds

U.K. Anti-Doping will increase publicly-funded testing by 50 percent by the end of March 2022 under a new strategic plan.
The agency, launched in 2009 and responsible for ensuring clean sport in the U.K., will also increase the number of investigations into people who work with athletes.
Sports minister Tracey Crouch announced a review last year, saying Ukad needed to become “fit for purpose”.
In January, the agency was awarded an extra £6m over two years.
Also included in the strategy are mandatory anti-doping requirements for sports’ governing bodies, with an emphasis on grassroots to elite-level athlete education, and a greater presence at sporting events.
Ukad says there will also be an emphasis on encouraging people to come forward with information, with nearly half of all anti-doping cases in the past two years having originated from intelligence reports received by the organisation.
“The additional funding from government has enabled us to be more bold and ambitious in our planning, expanding our investment into innovative approaches, as well as improving and growing current practices to help protect every athlete’s right to clean sport,” said Ukad chairman Trevor Pearce.
“We must do everything we can to make sure sport is free from doping. Ukad has always been at the forefront of this fight, but as the world of doping evolves we cannot afford to be complacent,” said Crouch.
“This new strategic plan, supported by additional government funding, will help combat doping and ensure that clean athletes are competing on a level playing field.”