2012 London Olympics: Landmark deal for war on drugs

By Jacquelin Magnay, Olympics Editor 10:04PM GMT 11 Feb 2011

A landmark agreement between the UK Border Agency and UK Anti-Doping could result in a dramatic rise in positive drug cases in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympic Games.

World Anti-Doping Agency director general David Howman warned athletes and drug traffickers preparing for the London Olympics that “it’s game on” following the new deal to share information between the customs and immigrations officials and the domestic drug agency.

Increased scrutiny at the borders, a sharing of intelligence about drug matters and more target testing of athletes will squeeze the surveillance net tighter around athletes seeking to cheat, but also around people trying to smuggle drugs, Howman said while visiting London yesterday to oversee London 2012 preparations.

A similar co-operation in Australia has meant sports drug suspensions which have arisen tallying 40 per cent of all of its drugs cases because of information supplied by customs and border authorities. That country had recently uncovered eight instances of importation of human growth hormone, including by a trainer and a sports administrator.

These cases are called non-analytical drug positives – because the case stems from possession of drugs rather than detecting them in athletes’ urine or blood.

UK Anti-Doping chief executive Andy Parkinson said: “It’s exciting, we don’t know what is out there, but we know the people involved with the supply of commodities and social drugs are also involved with performance-enhancing drugs. They are the same people trafficking. Being able to share information means we can see what is coming in, where it is going, who is taking possession of it and we can target test or even pursue a non-analytical case.” Parkinson said the deal had raised the awareness of performance-enhancing drugs with border officers.
Related Articles

*

West Ham's seating plan may fulfil legacy
11 Feb 2011
*

West Ham now face £500m question
11 Feb 2011
*

What they said about West Ham’s victory
11 Feb 2011
*

West Ham win Olympic Stadium bid
11 Feb 2011
*

The wrong impression?
11 Feb 2011
*

'Only time Spurs fans celebrate West Ham win'
11 Feb 2011

WADA president John Fahey also said great steps had been made to establish an Interpol office in Lyon to look at drug trafficking.

“We have made great progress in the past 10 months and it is clear that the people involved in trafficking recreational and social drugs are the same figures involved in performance-enhancing drugs, but also into bribery and corruption. We have strong links leading them to match-fixing and major betting scandals.”

UK Anti Doping conducts about 7,500 tests a year on athletes from all sports but Parkinson said he was not wedded to the concept that increasing tests equalled an effective programme.

He said sharing information with the UK Border Agency and with the Serious Organised Crime Agency, enabled the drug testers to build a profile on athletes, as well as their entourages for more specific target testing.

source