Fostering clean sport for all: UKAD and CIMSPA formalise partnership for physical activity professionals at Clean Sport Forum

• A new MoU between two leading UK sports bodies aims to help keep sport clean. Education pathways and professional standards will foster understanding of the latest anti-doping topics and rules

Across the UK, with venues open and people resuming sport after lockdown, those supporting them as coaches and trainers are much in demand too. At a time when so many are enjoying getting active, two leading sports bodies are boosting efforts to keep sport clean.  

Ahead of this week’s Clean Sport Forum (12-13 October), the annual flagship conference of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), UKAD is pleased to announce the signing of a new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to ratify an ongoing partnership work with the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA), the professional development body for the UK’s sport and physical activity sector.  

Speaking about the partnership, Emily Robinson, UKAD’s Interim Chief Executive, said:

“Research tells us that those around the athlete play a vital role in the protection of clean sport. This is a great initiative to support coaches and trainers through career pathways, working at all levels to help keep sport clean. From professionals supporting amateur gym workouts right through to those coaching elite athletes, our partnership will support sporting integrity across all endeavours.

“CIMSPA will work to educate its partners and members on how anti-doping challenges exist at all levels of UK sport and physical activity. We are grateful to CIMSPA for their support to our education efforts and commitment to help us all protect clean sport.” 

Colin Huffen, CIMSPA’s Head of Standards and Regulations, said: 

“I’m very pleased that CIMSPA is moving forwards in partnership with UKAD – we both have a big role to play in protecting a culture of clean sport throughout our sector.  Through this formal partnership we can help drive the development of professional standards for core roles within the sport, fitness and leisure industry. 

“We will work with UKAD to integrate their anti-doping knowledge and competencies into relevant standards to ensure that those supporting athletes or young people engaged in sport have the most up to date and verified learning and resources regarding clean sport. We will then be able to develop industry recognised training and education programmes to best meet the needs of those working in the industry.” 

UKAD will add its world-renowned expertise to the development of dedicated professional standards for anti-doping specialists, with CIMSPA identifying opportunities and membership pathways for these sector professionals to have their excellence recognised by the sector’s single chartered professional body. 

The MoU will centre on the development of professional standards for occupations engaged in anti-doping work, using expert guidance provided by UKAD. The creation of an Anti-Doping Liaison Officer Professional Standard is the eventual ambition.