Thursday 10 July 2008, from 10.00
Franklin-Wilkins Building, King’s College London, Stamford Street, SE1
The UK’s only laboratory to carry out doping tests on sports competitors is opening its doors to the media. Journalists, photographers and film crews will be able to see the lab at work during tours of the facilities. There will also be opportunities to interview its director, Professor David Cowan, and Head of Operations for Drug-Free Sport at UK Sport, Andy Parkinson.
The Drug Control Centre is part of the Department of Forensic Science & Drug Monitoring at King’s College London. Working with UK Sport to implement the UK’s anti-doping policy in sport, the Centre carried out more than 7,500 tests across 50 sports last year. It analyses samples collected from human sports competitors covering events and training in the UK and is one of only 33 laboratories accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The Centre, led Professor David Cowan, is well respected internationally and has a proven record of successfully delivering analysis services for major games. It was the first human sports drug-testing laboratory established outside of an Olympic Games.
Scientists from the Drug Control Centre have been invited to work alongside their Chinese colleagues this summer in Beijing to assist the Chinese in their work to stop those athletes who cheat by taking drugs.
The Centre has an active research team focusing primarily on drugs in sport but has interest in other areas of analytical toxicology and endocrinology and, as well as the contract with UK Sport, the Centre undertakes work for a number of other organisations
To attend: Please contact Melanie Gardner, PR Office, King’s College London
Tel: 020 7848 3073; email: melanie.gardner@kcl.ac.uk
Please reply by Friday 4 July
King’s College London
King’s College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (Times Higher 2007) and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King’s has 19,700 students from more than 140 countries, and 5,400 employees. King’s has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research. (www.kcl.ac.uk)
UK Sport
As the country’s national anti-doping organisation, UK Sport is responsible for the implementation and management of the UK’s anti-doping policy. As part of this, UK Sport co-ordinates the UK’s testing programme. In addition, UK Sport provides British athletes and their support personnel with a number of services and resources to help them make the right decisions about what substances they can and cannot use. (http://www.uksport.gov.uk/)
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