British Swimming backs second UKAD Clean Sport Week

14 May 2018

British Swimming is throwing its full support behind UK Anti-Doping’s second Clean Sport Week, which launches next Monday (21 May).

This year’s campaign, which will again have the support of a range of National Governing Bodies (NGBs), sports organisations and UK sports stars, will celebrate clean athletes and their success, and promote the work of the anti-doping community in the fight for clean sport.

The campaign will also have a strong focus on supplement use and image enhancing culture in the UK, with new research set to be revealed during the week to encourage a wider public debate on the issue. 

British Swimming, with the guidance of UK Anti-Doping and WADA, delivers an annual programme of workshops and educational sessions, both on a one-to-one basis and in group settings to promote and encourage personal responsibility and instil values of choice and fairness in Clean sport

British Swimming Anti-Doping Compliance Manager Rachel Burrows said, “The Clean Sport week is a great opportunity for British Swimming to showcase the results from the anti-doping education programme we deliver annually, across all the aquatic disciplines, throughout an athlete’s pathway.

“The tools and knowledge the athletes, coaches and support staff gain at their yearly education sessions that we provide, allows the team to Compete Clean.”

British Swimming's Chief Executive, Jack Buckner said: “UKAD’s Clean Sport Week is a great way to highlight the year-round hard work and commitment made by our athletes and staff to ensure that we contribute to a fair playing field for all.

"UKAD’s Clean Sport Week is a great way to highlight the year-round hard work and commitment made by our athletes and staff to ensure that we contribute to a fair playing field for all."

- Jack Buckner - British Swimming Chief Executive

“The week-long series of events by UKAD provide a platform on which to have conversation around the topic of anti-doping raising the awareness and thereby increasing its ongoing prevention.”

A number of events will take place between 21-27 May to help raise awareness of clean sport and anti-doping programmes led by UKAD, NGBs and sporting bodies across the UK. The campaign will also feature social media videos from a number of UK athletes showing their support for clean sport, through a series called ‘Feat of Strength’.

Nicole Sapstead, UKAD’s Chief Executive, said: “Our education programme is a vital part of our prevention work at UKAD. We are committed to delivering a high-quality programme in collaboration with our partners.

"Clean Sport Week provides the perfect platform for sports in the UK to come together and showcase the fantastic work going on from grassroots to elite level."

- Nicole Sapstead - UKAD Chief Executive

“At the same time, we believe there is also a vital public debate that needs to take place around the growing supplement culture in the UK and this year’s campaign will aim to do this. This has the potential to be a serious public health issue impacting on wider society and we want this debate to look at where people are obtaining their products, how aware they are of what is in them and the potential long-term effects of using them.” 100% Me

UKAD and its partners are supporting athletes from grassroots to elite level through one of the world’s most extensive education and intelligence-led testing programmes. It has 30 National Trainers who deliver clean sport education, over 200 Doping Control Personnel, who work as part of the sample collection process and more than 2,300 Accredited Advisors around the UK.

The organisation provides and supports a range of educational, anti-doping and clean sport resources to help athletes at all levels including its ‘100% Me’ programme.