13 February 2008

UK Athletics (UKA) Chief Executive Niels de Vos today announced that Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson will lead the organisation’s review into anti-doping policy. The move follows the selection of Dwain Chambers to the British team for the World Indoor Championships despite serious disquiet on behalf of the committee, the Board of UKA and former Olympians.

Mr de Vos said: “Athletics must act now, and must act decisively, to strengthen its own ability to select the athletes it wants to select.  Representing Great Britain must remain a privilege and not a right and the review will ensure the sport never finds itself in such a position again.

“I am delighted that Tanni has agreed to chair our review panel. She is one of the greatest athletes this country has ever seen and is a passionate advocate of drug free sport. She has the respect of the global sporting community and will ensure the review delivers well thought out and robust solutions.

Commenting on the task ahead, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson said:

“I am working on the terms of reference for the review, but can assure everyone we will consider every available option open to us including the possibility of extended or lifetime bans from representing GB, the right to control entry into UKA events and how future selection policies are framed.

“However, our task is complicated not only by the UK and Europe’s legal framework, but by UKA’s status as a signatory to the IAAF and World Anti Doping Agency programmes.  In this international arena we will lobby relentlessly to increase the penalties for drugs cheats.

“My mandate is clear and I believe the time is right for UKA to play a leading role in driving change through athletics to ensure that drug offenders cannot walk back into our sport unchallenged and untested.”