UK Anti-Doping to educate all athletes and officials representing Team GB at Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

With one year to go until the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games get underway, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has announced it will be educating more than 1200 athletes and athlete support personnel representing Team GB, as outlined in the Clean Games Policy.

The Policy, launched in 2017, was signed by multiple bodies including the British Olympic Association (BPA), British Paralympic Association (BPA), Commonwealth Games England, Commonwealth Games Scotland, Commonwealth Games Wales and Northern Ireland Commonwealth Games Council.

It ensures that all athletes, coaching staff and other athlete support personnel attending a Major Games, receive clean sport education ahead of travelling to the Games.

Workshops in the build-up to Tokyo will see approximately 700 athletes receive ‘clean sport’ education, which covers topics including checking medications, the risks of supplement use and the testing procedure. The selected Team GB athletes and officials heading to Japan will also receive ‘clean games’ education, which covers the specific anti-doping rules of the Olympic Games.

UKAD’s Performance Sport Education Manager, Alex Newman, said: “The education of athletes and officials representing Team GB at a Major Games has been a pivotal part of UKAD’s strategy since the implementation of anti-doping education delivery prior to the 2012 Olympic Games in London. I am delighted to confirm that we will once again provide every athlete and official with the information, education and support they need to ensure they are aware of their anti-doping responsibilities ahead of the 2020 Olympic Games.

Mark England, Chef de Mission for Team GB said: "UKAD's work to develop and deliver such a comprehensive anti-doping education programme is something we are incredibly grateful for. Our partnership continues to strengthen from Games to Games and it gives us great assurance that athletes and staff alike will go into Tokyo in full knowledge of the importance of the anti-doping message and the Clean Games programme."

Olympic gold medallist and UKAD Athlete Commission member, Callum Skinner, added: "Anti-doping training ahead of an Olympics is critical. In some doping cases a positive test can be accidental, information is power so equip yourself as best you can to ensure you don’t fall foul of the rules. UKAD’s education team is always on hand to help you. Tokyo will be a super experience, show the world amazing and clean performance."

As part of the Clean Games Policy, all athletes and officials who attended both the 2019 European Games in Minsk and 2019 European Youth Olympic Festival in Baku received Clean Sport and Clean Games education, some of which are on the road to attend either the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, or 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.