Local athletes and officials planning to attend next year’s NatWest Island Games will take part in workshops on anti-doping rules this weekend.

The ‘Clean Sport’ sessions on Friday 4th November and Saturday 5th November mark the start of Isle of Man Sport’s new anti-doping education and testing programme.

Educators from UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) will deliver the sessions, which will be attended by a total of 75 people.

Isle of Man Sport has responsibility for ensuring the World Anti-Doping Agency code is adhered to in the Island.

Chris Quine, Sports Performance Co-ordinator with Isle of Man Sport, said: ‘The Isle of Man has a tremendous reputation on the world sporting stage.
‘However, it would only take one athlete inadvertently taking a banned medication, albeit for perfectly legitimate reasons, say for a cold or an ache, to damage that reputation.
‘Some of our athletes receive education on anti-doping through their own sports’ governing bodies.
‘However, others compete at international level without this guidance and the local programme will ensure athletes and officials are up to date on governance, reporting and testing procedures and substances that are banned and exempt.’

Chris said the workshops, being held at the Sport Institute at the NSC, were initially being targeted at those likely to participate in the NatWest Island Games but will be extended to others in the future.

Around 250 athletes and officials from the Isle of Man will attend the Games in Gotland in June.
‘Anti-doping testing is being reintroduced at the Games and as a responsible nation, it’s important we do all we can to ensure our athletes and officials are armed with the latest information,’ Chris said.

The workshops will be repeated in March 2017 and it’s planned to train local officials to deliver them in future.

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