An intelligence-led organisation

UK Anti-Doping uses intelligence to develop increasingly sophisticated techniques to tackle doping in sport.

We form an in-depth knowledge into anti-doping activities through managing information from a wide-range of sources.

UK Anti-Doping business functions include an Intelligence team which adopts the principles of the National Intelligence Model (NIM). NIM is a business model used by law enforcement agencies, and increasingly by other intelligence-focused partners, to ensure the effective and efficient collection, recording, analysis, dissemination and retention of information. This enables UK Anti-Doping to prioritise issues in doping and allocate the resources to deal with them accordingly.

Information coming into UK Anti-Doping is submitted to the NIM process and is then cross-referenced with existing data. It may be subject to further research and analysis before being disseminated to relevant parties such as government agencies and National Governing Bodies of Sport (NGBs).
UK Anti-Doping provides detailed instructions and guidance for handling information that is shared with another organisation and all data held complies with the Data Protection Act (1998).

Types of information gathered

In order to tackle the broader threats of supply and trafficking of prohibited substances, the Intelligence team gathers information such as:

• the use or possession of prohibited substances by athletes or athlete support personnel
• sales of prohibited substances
• thefts of prohibited substances
• transport routes identified for imported prohibited substances
• distribution networks for prohibited substances
• information regarding the commission of an anti-doping rule violation.

Working in partnership

The focus on information sharing as a way of tackling doping reflects an international move towards more intelligence-led methods of detection. To have an effective Intelligence-led anti-doping programme, UK Anti-Doping needs to build relationships and work closely with the sports community, general public, pharmaceutical companies, law enforcement partners; such as the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA), and other National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADO).

A key focus of our intelligence work is to promote and engage in inter-agency information sharing about doping in sport. We also manage in partnership with Crimestoppers Report Doping in Sport - a 24-hour confidential phone line for anyone to report information or suspicions about doping in sport.

Outcomes of our intelligence work supports us in developing effective testing strategies and informing education and prevention programmes.