The board, which includes representatives from the worlds of sport, law enforcement, ethics and Government, meets for the first time next month and will help ensure the new NADO best meets the needs of the British sporting community in the fight against doping in sport, UK Sport claimed.

 

The need for a new NADO was announced by the government in December 2007 following a six-month review led by UK Sport.

 

It concluded that a more modernised approach to anti-doping in the UK was needed and that a stand-alone agency with increased powers and responsibilities, and greater links to law enforcement agencies, should be created to be in place and fully operational well in time for London 2012.

 

John Scott, Director of Drug-Free Sport at UK Sport, said: “Since the announcement a huge amount of work has already gone on behind the scenes in terms of turning the concept of a stand-alone NADO into reality.

 

"What is immediately apparent is the immense scale of the task, not only in identifying what the new NADO should look like in terms of size, structure and powers, but also in what needs to be done to get us there.

 

“Underpinning this work is a total commitment to establishing a NADO which is world-leading in all areas of activity.

 

"As with all things in sport, London 2012 has focused the mind on anti-doping and doing everything in our powers to ensure that the drug cheats will not succeed.

 

“I know that every member of the Project Board shares this belief, and over the coming weeks and months their input will be invaluable in helping us achieve our aims.”

 

The NADO Project Board will be chaired by Philip Carling, UK Sport Board Member and Chair of the Sports Council of Wales. Its membership has been confirmed as:

 

· Mike Brace – Chairman, British Paralympic Association

 

· Adrienne Fresko  – Director of Foresight Partnership, Former Head of the Centre for Public Governance at the Office for Public Management (OPM)

 

· Paul Heron – Deputy Director of Sport, Department for Culture, Media and Sport

 

· David Kenworthy – Chair, independent anti-doping scrutiny panel, Former Chief Constable of North Yorkshire Police

 

· Philip Kimberley – Executive chair , England Hockey

 

· Richard Lewis – Executive chairman, Rugby Football League

 

· Karen Pickering  – Chairwoman, British Athletes Commission

 

· Sir Craig Reedie  – International Olympic Committee member, World Anti-Doping Agency Member, Vice president of the British Olympic Association

 

· Andy Sellers – Deputy director for London Enforcement, Serious Organised Crime Agency

 

· John Scott – Director of Drug-Free Sport , UK Sport

 

· John Steele – Chief executive , UK Sport

 

The Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe said: "The formation of a new NADO will be a crucial development in the fight against drugs in sport.

 

"Members of the Project Board will play a vital role in shaping the structure of the NADO and ensuring that we have an organisation that is at the forefront of anti-doping.

 

"As well as people from the world of sport I am pleased that we also have representation from our enforcement agencies on the project board as we look to tackle the trafficking and supply of prohibited substances.

 

"We need to make sure that drug cheats and those involved in doping in sport have no place to hide."

 

The project board will meet twice ahead of plans for the new NADO being presented to the Sports Minister in the spring.

 

During this time, at least one wider Stakeholder Forum will also take place, allowing all those likely to be impacted by the changes to find out more about the NADO and ensure all views are taken into account in its development.

 

Scott said: “This project could not be more important – the future state of our anti-doping operations in this country depends on it being done properly.

 

"That is why UK Sport is currently undertaking such a rigorous assessment process, following Government guidelines, and why we are making sure there is plenty of opportunity for every interested party to be engaged and consulted at the appropriate time.”