UK Anti-Doping delivers clean sport education to 937 GB athletes and support personnel headed to Paris 2024

With athletes now on their way to Paris 2024, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) announces the delivery of clean sport education for 937 competitors and support personnel set to represent Team GB and ParalympicsGB. 

In addition to potential medals and glory, the Olympic and Paralympic Games are an important marker of a country’s sense of place and pride. It takes years of sacrifice, hard work and talent for athletes to reach their Olympic or Paralympic moment, but all that can be so quickly taken away if they fail a test or commit an act that leads to a potential Anti-Doping Rule Violation.    

 So an athlete’s training isn’t just about the gym, tactics and strategies; a critical and mandatory part of the build-up to a major Games is the extensive clean sport education that is conducted by UKAD.  

Clean sport education is a vital part of every athlete’s sporting journey as it deters doping by enabling protective behaviours. Irrespective of whether it’s their first Olympics or Paralympics, or not, they are reminded of the foundations and their rights and responsibilities so they can approach Paris 2024 with confidence, set the highest standards, and wear their country’s flag with pride.  

UKAD Chief Executive, Jane Rumble, said: 

“Every four years we as a nation tune in to the Olympics and Paralympics to celebrate our athletes and to see the result of their extraordinary dedication and talent. However, when an athlete is found to have a prohibited substance in their system, whether it was intentionally taken or not, it makes people question not only that athlete but their team, the sport, their values and whether what we’re seeing is fair and true. 

 “Our role at UKAD is to ensure athletes are equipped with the skills to thrive on the international stage, knowing they are competing 100% clean on behalf of their country. It has been no small task to provide 937 athletes and support personnel with education to ensure they are well versed in all things anti-doping, so I’d like to thank our Education Team and experienced National Trainers who have delivered exceptional clean sport education in the build up to Paris 2024. I’d also like to thank all the athletes and support personnel for their commitment to completing their education and helping to protect clean sport.” 

UKAD has been working in partnership with the relevant National Governing Bodies to co-ordinate the education of the athletes and support personnel heading to Paris 2024. As a result, 937 athletes and support personnel have spent a combined 2,650 hours completing self-guided eLearning courses and UKAD National Trainers have delivered 283 hours of additional clean sport education sessions specific to the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

UKAD is busy completing the last remaining education sessions for the few Team GB athletes yet to head out to Paris and those ParalympicsGB athletes due to travel later in the summer.  

In addition to its education programme, UKAD continues to deliver its comprehensive pre-games testing programme, which has focused on athletes likely to compete in Paris and involved collaboration with International Federations (IF), the International Testing Agency (ITA), and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). 

UKAD is also sending 23 experienced Doping Control Officers (DCOs) and three members of its Testing Team to Paris 2024 to support the ITA and the IPC with testing, as they separately deliver the anti-doping programme for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.  

 Jim Jones, UKAD DCO attending Paris 2024, commented: 

“I have spent a large part of my life working on behalf of UKAD and getting the call to attend an Olympic and Paralympic Games is a privilege every time. Paris 2024 will be my sixth Olympic and Paralympic Games and a highlight of this work. Representing UKAD with colleagues from all over the world with a collective objective of keeping sport clean is an honour! I have a mixed timetable of events and look forward to sharing my experiences and learnings with my colleagues at UKAD upon my return." 

Find out more about UKAD’s education for Paris 2024

Notes to Editors 

All long-listed athletes completed UKAD’s Compete Clean+ eLearning course on its Clean Sport Hub, followed by clean sport scenario workshops covering subjects such as Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), supplements and reporting doping. Once the final individuals for the Games were confirmed, athletes and support personnel also attended a clean games workshop covering the Anti-Doping Rules specific to Paris 2024. 

Athletes and support personnel are required to complete mandatory clean sport education to be able to compete in a Major Games, as set out in the 2021-2025 Clean Games Policy. Signatories to the policy include the British Olympic Association (BOA) and the British Paralympic Association (BPA), as well as other agencies.