UKAD partners with FINA and 14 other nations on Collaborative Testing Initiative ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games

Press Release

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), and 14 other leading National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs), have announced a global testing initiative in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.

In a ground-breaking initiative, UKAD worked alongside FINA and other participating organisations to develop a comprehensive and strategic test distribution plan which has been executed in the seven months before the Rio Olympic Games.

Between 1 January and 5 August 2016, FINA and the 15 NADOs will make best efforts to conduct five to seven out-of-competition tests for each nation’s top ten world-ranked male and female swimmers, in every aquatic discipline held at the Olympic Games.

A key part of the process is the sharing of relevant intelligence amongst the partner organisations. The NADOs took the lead on testing swimmers in their individual countries, while FINA coordinated testing for the top swimmers in nations outside of the partnership.

Following concerns expressed by athletes about ensuring the integrity of competition in Rio, the initiative was created by FINA and the partner NADOs to ensure that serious action was taken to safeguard clean and fair competition during the Olympic Games this summer.

UKAD Chief Executive, Nicole Sapstead said: “The pre-Games collaboration between FINA and 15 national anti-doping organisations is an innovative approach for the anti-doping community. I am delighted that a major international federation has actively engaged with, and sought support from, a large number of NADOs in order to share and effectively use our combined resources. By working together, everything is being done to safeguard the integrity of the swimming competition at this year’s Olympic Games."

“I am confident that this project will serve as a catalyst and a blueprint for future collaborations. At a time when the spirit of sport is in danger of being eroded, initiatives like this one stand to show that the global sporting community needs to work together to deliver effective and targeted programmes to protect everyone’s right to clean, fair and honest sport.”

FINA Executive Director Cornel Marculescu said: “FINA strongly believes in this initiative, working together with these leading NADOs from all around the world. It further demonstrates FINA’s commitment towards a coordinated global effort, in preparation for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games."

“FINA is confident that the plan developed to support this initiative and its execution have been effective, helping protect clean athletes training for the pinnacle of achievement in our sport. FINA will increase its cooperation and partnerships with these NADOs in the coming years. FINA will also continue the rigorous efforts to fight doping in aquatic sports through to the end of the year and in the months prior to the FINA World Championships in Budapest 2017.”

The 15 NADOs that supported and participated in the partnership are: