The UK Anti-Doping Athlete Committee Appoints 2008 Paralympic Gold Medallist Helene Raynsford
UK Anti-Doping, the national anti-doping organisation, has appointed 2008 Paralympic Gold Medallist, Helene Raynsford, and 9 other members to its newly formed Athlete Committee.
The announcement comes on the eve of the fifth anniversary of 100% me, the organisation’s athlete-centered education programme.
Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports are all represented on the Committee, the aim of which will be to provide advice on all matters relating to anti-doping. Amongst those to be appointed include Paralympic gold medallist rower Helene Raynsford, current Burnley FC player Clarke Carlisle and former England rugby union captain, Martin Corry. In addition two athlete support personnel have been appointed, as has bobsleigher Henry Nwume, a recent winter Olympian in Vancouver. The first meeting is due to take place in early August.
The Committee, which will be chaired by UK Anti-Doping Board member and British Handball Chair, Professor John Brewer, will have the responsibility of working with other athlete-centred groups to ensure the wider views of the athlete community are represented, as well as engaging with athletes to collect feedback on UK Anti-Doping programmes. Members will be expected to contribute to the Committee’s work through their experience of, and commitment to, anti-doping, as well as their understanding of the national and international sporting environment.
Beijing Paralympic gold medallist, Helene Raynsford, said: “It is an honour to have been selected to sit on this Committee. It is fantastic to be given the opportunity to not only prove my commitment to anti-doping, but also to sit alongside my fellow members in representing the views and concerns of athletes. I very much look forward to playing my part in building the relationship between ourselves and UK Anti-Doping.”
Chair of the Athlete Committee, and UK Anti-Doping Board member Professor John Brewer, said: “It is a very positive step that the Committee members have now been appointed. I am fully committed to ensuring that they are given every opportunity to proactively engage with UK Anti-Doping on its programmes and ensure their voice is being heard. It also gives us the chance to re-assure athletes and sports alike that UK Anti-Doping is here to support them and help protect their rights to compete in doping-free sport.”
Meanwhile tomorrow marks five years of the 100% me programme, which encourages athletes to make a commitment to doping-free sport as a symbol of their effort, commitment and determination to perform at the highest level without a need to enhance their performance. Since its inception in 2005, the programme has inducted 350 accredited tutors and now has over 40 ambassadors from across elite sport in the UK, who help to support sports in delivering targeted outreach events to inform and promote key anti-doping messages.
The full list of Committee members can be found on the UKAD – Anti-Doping in Sport website
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