Swim England completes UK Anti-Doping Assurance Framework

Swim England is delighted to announce its completion of UK Anti-Doping’s Assurance Framework.

National Governing Bodies (NGBs) must fulfil the requirements to certify to UKAD that they are meeting their anti-doping responsibilities.

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) published the updated 2021 UK National Anti-Doping Policy (Policy) in April 2021, which all NGBs must be compliant with. This was the first update of the Policy since its implementation in 2009.

UKAD, which is responsible for ensuring that sports bodies comply with the World Anti-Doping Code through its implementation and management of the Policy, introduced the Assurance Framework for NGBs to be able to evidence their compliance with the Policy.

The introduction of the Assurance Framework is the most significant change in the Policy. It outlines a series of mandatory requirements which all NGBs must fulfil.

These requirements include the creation of an education strategy and plan, the implementation of anti-doping rules and increased involvement of an NGB’s Board with clean sport.

Pursuit of clean sport

Upon completion of the Assurance Framework, Swim England’s sport development director George Wood, said: “Swim England is committed to the pursuit of clean sport, and we remain dedicated in providing education and information as widely as possible to ensure athletes, staff and parents are aware of their role, and are equipped to protect our sport and its reputation.”

UKAD’s Director of Legal and Regulatory Affairs, Nisha Dutt, said: “At UKAD we work tirelessly to protect clean sport, but we can’t do it alone.

“This Assurance Framework supports NGBs with the delivery of their anti-doping responsibilities and will help Swim England to embed clean sport values into its aquatic sports going forward.

“It is brilliant to see that Swim England has completed the UKAD Assurance Framework after working closely with our dedicated Assurance and Education teams over recent months.”

For more information on the Policy and Assurance Framework, visit the UKAD website.