The Scottish FA and new chief executive Ian Maxwell are showing their full support behind UK Anti-Doping’s second Clean Sport Week, which launches this week.
This year’s campaign, which will again have the support of a range of sports organisations, players and sports stars, will celebrate clean athletes and their success, and promote the work of the anti-doping community in the fight for clean sport.
Backing the project, Ian Maxwell, said: “The Scottish FA has been hard at work on a range of anti-doping issues over the past year, with a particular focus on ensuring Scotland’s up and coming young players develop good habits that will help them avoid becoming embroiled in issues in their career. This week’s campaign will help raise awareness of the importance of keeping sport clean and maintaining the integrity of Scottish football.”
Peter McLaughlin, Scottish FA’s Security and Integrity Officer, added: “In terms of the educational delivery of anti-doping programmes a big focus for us this year has been on the clubs’ academies and their young players. It’s important that we engage with them, educate them and get them into the right mindset as early as possible.
“For example, if they’re taking medication, they have to check what is in it to ensure there are no banned substances. They have to be alert to that and be responsible for what they put in their body.”
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.
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.
“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.”
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.
