19 February 2016

Athletes at the number one indoor athletics meeting in the world, the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix, will wear an ‘I Run Clean’ message across their chests when they compete at the Emirates Arena on Saturday.

UK Athletics recently launched ‘A Manifesto for Clean Athletics’, which calls for a wide-ranging debate about measures that could be introduced to achieve a new era of clean athletics. On Saturday, each athlete will wear a race-bib with an ‘I Run Clean’ or ‘I Jump Clean’ message prominently displayed.

UK Athletics Chief Executive Niels de Vos said: “Clean athletes are ready to fight back. By wearing a very clear ‘I Run Clean’ or ‘I Jump Clean’ message when they compete at the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix, they are keen to ensure that people recognise that the vast majority of top-class athletes are drug-free. We want to reinforce that message. The Emirates Arena, host venue for the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix, is sold-out and will command a global TV audience of millions.”

Former world and Commonwealth 100m champion Kim Collins said: “Athletes need to stand up for a clean sport. The vast majority of athletes work hard every day to reach the peak of the sport and we need to stand up and shout from the rooftops that the vast majority of athletes do not take drugs and that cheats will not be tolerated in our sport.”

Leading British athlete and former world champion silver medallist Hannah England said: “Athletes need to do all they can to let people know that the majority of us are clean and work hard for our success. Athletics is a fantastic sport and every athlete should be proud to reinforce this message at every opportunity.”

Over 40 world and Olympic medallists, including Great Britain’s Olympic and world champion Mo Farah (coach: Alberto Salazar), will compete at the Glasgow Indoor Grand Prix, the final stop of the IAAF World Indoor Tour at the Emirates Arena on Saturday.

The men’s 60m looks set to be one of the highlights of the world-class meeting. World and European champion Richard Kilty (Benke Blomkvist) takes on British teammates Adam Gemili (Steve Fudge) and Sean Safo-Antwi (Jonas Tawiah-Dodoo), 2003 world 100m champion Kim Collins and 2015 world 100m bronze medallist Trayvon Bromell.

The women’s 60m will also make headlines with Britain’s fastest woman Dina Asher-Smith (John Blackie) facing the world 200m champion Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands.

There will be a strong British presence in the women’s 60m hurdles as European 100m hurdles champion Tiffany Porter (Rana Reider) is joined by European indoor silver and bronze medallists Lucy Hatton (Jerzy Maciukiewicz) and Serita Solomon (Michelle Bovell). Their international opponents will be led by world 100m hurdles bronze medallist Cindy Roleder of Germany and current world number one Kendra Harrison of the USA.

The Glasgow Grand Indoor Prix is the best one-day athletics meeting to ever be held in Scotland and will feature many of the world’s best athletes.

The event is part of the new, IAAF World Indoor Tour, which sees athletes compete across four meetings in Karlsruhe, Boston, Stockholm and Glasgow.