Anti-Doping Privacy Notice
What does this notice cover?
UK Anti-Doping (‘UKAD’, ‘we’ and ‘us’) has two main privacy notices, this Anti-Doping Privacy Notice and our General Privacy Notice.
| How UKAD uses your data to fulfil its regulatory functions under the World Anti-Doping Code, UK National Anti-Doping Policy and the UK Anti-Doping Rules | This Anti-Doping Privacy Notice |
| How UKAD uses your data otherwise collected through its websites and through online and offline communications (and other interactions) with us | Not covered by this notice–see our General Privacy Notice |
- This notice describes how UKAD, as the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) for the UK, may make use of your data that is collected to fulfil its regulatory functions under the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code), the UK National Anti-Doping Policy (the Policy) and the UK Anti-Doping Rules (UK ADR).
- In most cases, UKAD will be the sole data controller for the personal data it collects and processes about you. In some circumstances, we may agree to share responsibility with another Anti-Doping Organisation within a particular sport or competition or provide anti-doping services to another organisation. We will make it clear if we are carrying out testing or other processing on behalf of another Anti-Doping Organisation (in which case this notice will not apply and it will be the other Anti-Doping Organisation’s privacy notice that applies).
You have rights regarding UKAD’s use of your data. More information is provided in Your rights below. Where relevant, capitalised terms used in this Notice are used as defined in the Code and/or the UK ADR.
Summary of how and why we use your data
- The UK Parliament has ratified the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sport,
formally committing the UK to the pursuit of doping-free sport based on the principles set out in the Code. - UKAD is the NADO for the UK, and we process personal data (including special category data, such as health data) to fulfil our public task functions under the Policy and the UK ADR. This processing is done in exercise of our public tasks – primarily, for the purpose of eliminating doping in sport.
- Data may be shared with a number of third parties. We share data with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), in particular through ADAMS (a web-based data management system developed and administered by WADA), so that it can fulfil its own role under the Code. We also share data with Anti-Doping Organisations, including NADOs in other countries, International Federations, the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, Major Event Organisations and other relevant organisations, including National Olympic Committees, National Paralympic Committees, the Commonwealth Games Association and relevant national associations, home country sports councils and sports’ national governing bodies, especially those in the UK. We also share information with the police and other law enforcement agencies, and other relevant regulators, authorities and sports stakeholders.
- UKAD will share data overseas, including with WADA (which is currently based in Canada and Switzerland) using ADAMS, and as necessary with other Anti-Doping Organisations and other relevant stakeholders where this relates to an Athlete’s travel or competition, or where it is necessary to share appropriate information and/or intelligence for UKAD’s public task in eliminating doping in sport.
- Further detail is provided below regarding UKAD’s data processing, as well as your data protection rights, your right to object to certain processing and details of how we ensure the adequacy of international transfers of data.
- In most instances UKAD will be the sole data controller for the personal data it collects and processes about you. In some circumstances, we may agree to share responsibility with another organisation within a particular sport or competition.
- Where we carry out Out-of-Competition testing and this reveals the presence of social drugs that are not prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List unless present in a Sample taken In-Competition, these results will be shared where requested by a relevant governing body further to their policies or rules on social drug use Out-of-Competition. See the privacy policies of your relevant governing body to find out more about how such data may be processed.
- UKAD seeks Athletes’ consent for the retention of their Samples for research purposes after Samples would otherwise be destroyed. Where an Athlete agrees, their anonymised Sample will be shared with WADA–accredited laboratories to undertake anti-doping research in the pursuit of enhancing the analytical capabilities used to uphold clean sport. Athletes can withdraw this consent at any time until their Sample is anonymised. No adverse conclusions will be drawn if an Athlete refuses to provide such consent or withdraws it.
- If you participate in football, we share responsibility with the Football Association (FA). More information on the FA’s use of your data can be found in its anti-doping privacy policy.
UKAD collects and processes personal data about participants in sport in a number of ways. It collects the following types of personal data in relation to its main Anti-Doping Activities:
| Category | Details |
| Identification Information | Your name log-in details where you make use of UKAD platforms and portals, your sex and gender, age / date of birth and nationality |
| Contact Information | Your personal and work address, email address and phone number |
| Device And Interaction Information | Information related to the browser or device you use to access our website and tools made available on our website, and your use of our website This may include the device type, manufacturer, model, operating system, IP address, browser type, internet service provider, and unique identifiers associated with you, your device, or your network (including, for example, a persistent device identifier or advertising ID), and information about the site from which you came, the site to which you are going when you leave our site, how frequently you access our site, whether you open emails or click the links contained in emails, whether you access our site from multiple devices, and other browsing behaviour and actions you take on our site |
| Sport-related Information | Details of your involvement with the relevant sport, or connection with a relevant Athlete’s sport, including (as appropriate) information about your discipline, level of participation, your employer, sporting affiliations, whereabouts, any Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), anti-doping test results, and Results Management (including disciplinary hearings, appeals and sanctions) |
| Whereabouts Information | Any information you provide to fulfil your whereabouts obligations, which may include special category data where this reveals e.g. details of a place of worship |
| Health Information | Information provided about your health in a Doping Control form or obtained as a result of analysis of a Sample you provide, any information provided as part of a TUE application, details of your testing pool (if any), details of any Athlete Biological Passport data, Testing results and previous doping sanctions In the event of a positive test, or if your Sample requires further analysis or investigation, this will also include any information you provide to us in response to an Anti -Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) or as evidence of mitigating circumstances |
| Correspondence Information | Conversation history related to communications between you and us where you have interacted with us, including by email |
| Criminal Offence Information | Details related to criminal convictions or offences, including allegations of criminal activity, or apparent evidence of criminal activity |
We collect much of this information from you directly, such as through Doping Control forms and any further analysis or investigation which may be required; Athlete Biological Passports; and our various registration and learning forms and portals.
We also collect information from persons whose information may be provided to us as part of intelligence about Athletes and Athlete Support Personnel – this includes the third parties listed in How we share your personal data below, as many of these relationships involve the mutual sharing of information and intelligence for the purposes of eliminating doping in sport. This is especially true where we carry out our role as the UK NADO to fulfil our regulatory functions under the Policy and the UK ADR.
We may also obtain information about you from third party providers who collate publicly available and demographic information, for the purpose of improving the accuracy of our data and our intelligence-led testing and enforcement.
We are required to have a lawful basis to process your data. Our lawful bases are:
| Lawful Basis | Description |
| Main lawful bases | |
| Consent | Sometimes we ask or rely on your consent to use your data |
| Legitimate Interest | We can process your data when this is necessary for us to achieve a legitimate business purpose, or where this is necessary for someone else to achieve a legitimate purpose. This may include recognised legitimate interests as included in the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) |
| Public Task | We process most data we receive due to the necessity of that processing for furthering our public task (the elimination of doping in sport) |
| Legal Obligation | We have obligations to comply with legal and regulatory requirements under various applicable laws. In certain cases, we may have to use your data to meet these obligations |
| Further lawful bases (required if we process your criminal offence or special category data – such as information relating to your health, biometric data (that may identify you),your ethnicity, your religion, your sex life or sexual orientation, trade union membership or political opinion) | |
| Substantial Public Interest, as set out in law | The law may make special provision for our processing, in particular for the purpose of eliminating doping in sport |
| Establishment, Exercise or Defence of Legal Claims | We are entitled to process special category data where this is necessary to establish, exercise or defend our legal rights |
| Scientific Research, as permitted by law | We will use your special category data for research where we can demonstrate that we meet legal requirements and have applied appropriate safeguards |
We will collect, use and store your personal data for the purposes and lawful bases set out below:
| Purpose and data | Lawful basis |
Collecting and maintaining intelligence we receive on Athletes and Athlete Support Personnel, including intelligence or reports you may share, and where necessary using this and other information to conduct investigations into potential ADRVs, including UKAD’s planning, targeting, coordination and organisation of anti-doping tests, maintaining records of UKAD’s anti-doping missions and test outcomes, and Athletes who have failed to be available for tests at the designated time or provided inaccurate whereabouts information (Whereabouts Failures) Relevant Data: any data category listed above | Public Task
Where we process your special category data or criminal offence data for these purposes, we do so for the purposes of measures designed to eliminate doping in sport |
Collecting and analysing Samples that you provide as part of the Doping Control process, creating and managing an Athlete’s Biological Passport and analysis of results and intelligence, to help us improve our enforcement and educational activities Relevant Data: Identification Information, Sport-Related Information, Whereabouts Information, Health Information, Criminal Offence Information | |
Reviewing and assessing information and evidence you provide and managing applications for, and the granting of, TUEs Relevant Data: Identification Information, Sport-Related Information, Health Information, Correspondence Information | |
Enforcing the UK ADR, including conducting Results Management, issuing charges and bringing proceedings before the National Anti-Doping Panel for an ADRV, sharing relevant data with relevant third parties (as set out in this notice), and communicating with you or about you. This includes informing relevant governing bodies and (where you are a professional Athlete or Athlete Support Personnel) your employer, of our intention to bring a charge for an ADRV Relevant Data: any data category listed above | Public Task
Where we process your special category data or criminal offence data for these purposes, we do so for the purposes of measures designed to eliminate doping in sport |
Publishing our decisions, those of the National Anti-Doping Panel and those of other relevant bodies (for example, International Federations or other NADOs) in anti-doping cases, for the purposes of ensuring transparency and to comply with the Policy and the UK ADR; and sharing intelligence with relevant bodies Relevant Data: Identification Information, Sport-Related Information, Whereabouts Information, Health Information and Criminal Offence Information as relevant for the purposes of publication in accordance with the UK ADR and the Code | |
Sharing data with third parties you seek to involve in your anti-doping matters Relevant Data: any data category listed above | Consent |
Processing required by law, particularly in responding to mandatory requests from government or law enforcement, or under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 and not otherwise exempt Relevant Data: any data category listed above | Legal Obligation |
Anonymise and share your Sample with WADA-accredited laboratories to undertake anti-doping research in the pursuit of enhancing the analytical capabilities used to uphold clean sport Relevant Data: Identification Information, Sport-Related Information, Health Information (anonymised) | Legitimate Interest and Scientific Research |
As a public body, UKAD primarily relies on its public task in eliminating doping in sport rather than on a legitimate interest. However, there are instances where we have a legitimate interest to use your data, as set out above.
Where we process personal data on the basis of a legitimate interest, unless this is a ‘recognised legitimate interest’ under the UK GDPR, we carry out a ‘balancing test’ to document our interest(s), consider what the impact of the processing will be on individuals and determine whether individuals’ interests outweigh our interest(s) in the processing taking place.
We may share your data with the following categories of recipients:
| Personal Data Category | Category of Recipient | Why? |
| All Data Categories | Your authorised third parties For example, an agent, coach, doctor, lawyer, independent expert, trade union representative, parent, guardian or relative | To respect and fulfil your request where you involve a third party and authorise us (i.e., have provided your consent) to receive from and share information with them. This could be in relation to information of a positive test which may also be shared with your legal representative, if relevant, who may be involved in coordinating your response to any charge. |
| All Data Categories | Anti-Doping Organisations For example, WADA, Code Signatories, ADOs and other relevant sports bodies WADA ensures all Code Signatories respect the rules of the Code. WADA also operates and manages ADAMS, a platform (on which we will upload your personal information) facilitating the collaboration and sharing of information needed for us to comply with (and facilitate WADA’s own compliance with) WADA’s anti-doping programme Code Signatories include NADOs, International Federations, and or Major Event Organisers that have Testing authority, Sample collection authority, or Results Management authority over you Other relevant bodies include: National Olympic Committees, National Paralympic Committees, the Commonwealth Games Association, relevant national associations, home country Sports Councils and sports’ national governing bodies, especially those in the UK | To further our public task in eliminating doping in sport, and to assist bodies with responsibility for enforcement of the Code, and associated processing – including the sharing and receipt of intelligence. Intelligence may also be used by these stakeholders for wider sports-related purposes, including integrity-related processing such as ensuring the safeguarding of participants or preventing Competition manipulation. Data may also be shared where results of Out-of-Competition testing and this reveals the presence of social drugs that are not prohibited under the WADA Prohibited List where this is requested by a relevant governing body with relevant rules in relation to social drug use Out-of-Competition. See the privacy policies of your relevant governing body to find out more about how such data may be processed. |
| All Data Categories | Third party service providers, including testing-related bodies As well as providers of cloud IT services and professional services, this includes those that provide laboratory or results management related services, such as providers of WADA-accredited laboratory services, and Sample collection authorities that we use to conduct testing overseas and that are not signatories to the Code, for example PWC and IDTM | We employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. Examples include website hosting and maintenance, security services, software hosting and laboratory and Results Management services. |
| All Data Categories | Disciplinary panels and hearing bodies Includes the National Anti-Doping Panel and Court of Arbitration for Sport | For adjudicating ADRVs and/or other disciplinary offences in accordance with the Code and/or other applicable regulations. This includes where we share information with our legal advisers and the National Anti-Doping Panel where we seek to apply or enforce the UK ADR. |
| All Data Categories | Public authorities and other relevant bodies Includes government authorities and/or law enforcement officials | If mandated by law or if required for the legal protection of our legitimate interests in compliance with applicable laws and/or other bodies responsible for enforcing sport and anti-doping laws and for investigating offences tied to doping in sport. This includes sharing information with the police and relevant professional regulators where there is evidence of criminal conduct or professional misconduct. |
Identification Information, Sport-related Information, Whereabouts Information, Health Information and Criminal Offence Information as relevant for the purposes of publication in accordance with the UK ADR and the Code | The media and general public | Where we publish certain information, and/or share it with the media, about investigations, Provisional Suspensions or charges and decisions in ADRV cases issued by UKAD, the National Anti-Doping Panel and other relevant bodies (for example, International Federations or other NADOs). |
| All Data Categories (unless exempt) | Publication | Compliance with obligations under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, where not otherwise exempt |
Certain data sharing described above is likely to result in the sharing of your data with third parties located outside the UK. These include WADA and other Anti-Doping Organisations.
In particular, UKAD will share your data overseas, both to WADA in Canada and Switzerland using ADAMS, and as necessary with other Anti-Doping Organisations overseas where this is as a result of an Athlete’s travel or competition, or as necessary to share appropriate intelligence. Where these locations do not provide an adequate level of data protection, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the transfer of your personal data to these countries, such as through use of UK Standard Contractual Clauses, unless such transfers are exempt due to substantial public interest, as is recognised for certain anti-doping related data transfers.
A copy of the relevant mechanism can be requested using the contact details below.
You have the right to:
- ask us for a copy of your personal data;
- ask us to correct, delete or restrict (stop any active) processing of your personal data;
- obtain the personal data you provide to us for a contract or with your consent in a structured, machine-readable format;
- object to the processing of your personal data in some circumstances (in particular, where we don’t have to process the data to meet a contractual or other legal requirement).
These rights may be limited, for example if fulfilling your request would reveal personal data about another person, where it would infringe the rights of a third party (including our rights) or if you ask us to delete information which we are required by law to keep or have compelling legitimate interests in keeping. Relevant exemptions are included in both the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018. We will inform you of relevant exemptions we rely on when responding to any request you make.
To exercise any of these rights, you can get in touch with us – or our data protection officer – using the contact details below. If you have unresolved concerns, you have the right to complain to us, using these same contact details. You can also complain to the Information Commission.
Wherever we rely on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal. We may, however, have other legal grounds for processing your data.
Where we require personal data to perform our functions under the Code and the UK ADR, including the collection of information on a Doping Control form, whereabouts details and information we seek following analysis of a Sample, provision of such data is mandatory.
If you fail to provide information you are obliged to provide under the Code or the UK ADR, this may itself be an ADRV.
Your Doping Control-related data will be stored by WADA in ADAMS in accordance with the WADA International Standard for the Protection of Privacy and Personal Information. UKAD will also store Doping-Control data in ADAMS in accordance with this International Standard. In practice, this involves retention for a period of ten years following the provision of any Sample, being the period within which a charge may be brought following an ADRV pursuant to the Code or the UK ADR.
UKAD retention periods are in line with the WADA International Standard for the Protection of Privacy and Personal Information, except for TUE application forms and supporting medical evidence which will be retained for a period of five years. This is in case of an associated legal challenge to a decision.
Information relating to intelligence gathered in relation to anti-doping matters, and details of any actions or decisions taken by UKAD to apply or enforce the Code, the Policy and the UK ADR will be regularly reviewed. If we consider that ongoing retention is justified, we will continue to retain relevant information until at least the next review. We will also review the information we hold about you at the end of any investigation or case to ensure this remains relevant.
For particularly serious cases, and where you may have an ongoing role in sport, we may hold information indefinitely, but this will remain subject to review. We aim to hold your personal data for only as long as it is needed.
If you have been sanctioned by UKAD and subject to a period of Ineligibility, your whereabouts information will be retained by UKAD for the duration of that period of Ineligibility. Otherwise, any whereabouts information is only retained in ADAMS for twelve months.
Where we publish information relating to a decision made by the National Anti-Doping Panel, we will remove this information from our website at the end of the longer period of either one month or the length of any ban being served.
Updates to this Notice
We reserve the right to update this Anti-Doping Privacy Notice at any time, and we will provide you with a new privacy notice when we make any substantial updates. We may also notify you in other ways from time to time about the processing of your personal information.
Contact us
The controller for your personal data is UKAD. If you have questions about this Anti-Doping Privacy Notice or wish to contact us for any reason in relation to our personal data processing, you can get in touch with our data protection officer at ukad@ukad.org.uk or by writing to Data Protection Officer, UKAD, SportPark, 3 Oakwood Drive, Loughborough LE11 3QF
Last updated: 20 January 2026