The new organisation will continue existing testing and education programmes but has a broader remit to include results and intelligence management, including forging closer links with law enforcement agencies, including the UK Border Agency, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, so that the UK can tackle the traffickers and suppliers of prohibited substances.

Andy Parkinson, who has moved from UK Sport to become UKAD's chief executive, hailed it as one of the most significant days in the fight against drugs in Britain.

He said: "Today is a new era in the fight against doping in sport.

"With a single focus and a greater ability to manage intelligence and really maximise our law-enforcement partnerships, UKAD is ready to deliver anti-doping services of the highest quality and realise our vision of protecting sports from the threat of doping.

"With 2012 around the corner the pressure on young athletes is tremendous, not only to win medals but just to get to the start line.

"We would be naive to think that no athletes will consider that option.

"It's going to be very difficult to stay ahead of the suppliers and dopers.

"But we have to make a culture where we don't tolerate it.

"That should have two impacts, firstly we will make sure we have a clean British team in 2012 and competitors coming from overseas will realise that it's not a risk worth taking coming to 2012 with doping substances."

UKAD is due to launch one of its first initiatives next month.

Parkinson said: "In early 2010 we will set up a much more visible hot-line where athletes can phone anonymously and provide us with intelligence that we can use.

"One of the frustrations not just in the UK but worldwide is the lack of info we get from the sporting environment.

"We believe the most useful intelligence we get is tip-offs from the people who are competing."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
December 2009: UKAD complete team as it gets ready to open doors
October 2009: New British anti-doping agency to be up and running by December
September 2009: UK Anti-Doping begin recruiting key staff
August 2009: Parkinson named as chief executive of UKAD
August 2009: Government begin advertising for UKAD Board members