UKAD Assurance Framework: driving the anti-doping agenda at board level

Board Members of national governing bodies of sport (NGBs) met with the Board of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) this autumn to work together on UKAD’s Assurance Framework - the primary mechanism through which sports demonstrate to UKAD their compliance with the National Anti-Doping Policy.  

This year UKAD has formed more partnerships at Board level - with the creation of Board Anti-Doping Leads on every NGB Board, driving the Anti-Doping agenda at a strategic level.  

97 Board Anti-Doping Leads met with UKAD’s Board Members in October and November. The purpose of the sessions was to understand the challenges that individuals face, their successes and how UKAD through the Assurance Framework can work together with the individual sports to protect clean sport.  

Over 160 NGBs are currently completing UKAD’s Assurance Framework, which sets out the 24 requirements that sports must demonstrate in order to be fully compliant with the National Anti-Doping Policy. Clean sport requires the commitment and collaboration of all sports working together with UKAD. 

Trevor Pearce, Chair of the UKAD Board explained, “Responsibility and accountability for anti-doping lies with a sport’s Board, but we believe it is important that individuals on each of these Boards feel confident in their ability to drive anti-doping matters forward.  

Doping is a risk that all NGBs must take seriously, and by supporting anti-doping leads at board level we are providing sports with the ability to check and challenge the current measures in place.” 

Paul Ouseley, Head of Assurance added: “One aim of the Assurance Framework is to develop knowledge and oversight of anti-doping at board level across sports. We believe Board Anti-Doping Leads can play an important role in helping to drive forward the anti-doping programme in place at an NGB.   

Thank you to the Board Anti-Doping Leads who attended the sessions, we look forward to working with all Boards going forward.” 

The National Anti-Doping Policy (the Policy) sets out the policy objectives of UK Government and the requirements of sports bodies within anti-doping. The Policy was recently updated in April 2021 alongside the introduction of UKAD’s Assurance Framework. UKAD will be sharing further information on progress made against the Assurance Framework and 2023 plans. 

Learn more about UKAD’s Assurance Framework and anti-doping governance by visiting our dedicated webpage on the National Anti-Doping Policy.