Announced as part of UKAD’s new four-year 2021 Strategic Plan, its central office will move from London to SportPark, based at the Loughborough University Science and Enterprise Park (LUSEP).
UK Anti-Doping is responsible for ensuring sports bodies in the UK are compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code through implementation and management of the UK’s National Anti-Doping Policy.
John Steele, Executive Director of Sport, Loughborough University, said:
“We have worked closely with UKAD for many years now and we’re looking forward to them having a permanent presence on campus.
“Our teams work tirelessly to educate our athletes on clean sport values with UKAD’s work vital to ethical performance.
“We’re looking forward to strengthening this relationship further as we continue to collectively raise awareness of the importance of clean sport in a high-performance environment.”
Loughborough University has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with UKAD and directly contracts no-notice testing across its varied performance programmes as an underpinning values commitment beyond education.
Nicole Sapstead, Chief Executive, UKAD, added:
“To support the Strategic Plan, we have several ambitions which underpin the objectives that will be taking us through the next four years, with our relocation to Loughborough University at the top of the agenda.
“We intend to move our headquarters out of London to the new ‘Fourth Pavilion’ of SportPark, once construction is complete. In the meantime, we have set up an interim office on the Loughborough University campus, with some staff set to relocate very soon to work out of the new location.
“Though it will take a few years to fully relocate, a permanent headquarters in Loughborough will be highly beneficial as it presents an opportunity to work with the university, athletes and sports based in the local area. It is also an opportunity to create jobs for those living in and around Loughborough as new posts will be recruited to this location. In time, additional offices will also be opened within the home nations.”
As the UK’s National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO), UKAD has a duty to fulfil its role within the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code, International Standards, and the updated 2021 UK National Anti-Doping Policy.
For more information on UKAD and its Strategic Plan, visit its website HERE.