Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the light of the suspension of the All-Russia Athletic Federation by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in November 2015 following allegations of state-sponsored doping published by the World Anti-Doping Agency Independent Commission, what is their assessment of whether the All-Russian Athletic Federation should (1) be readmitted at the IAAF Council meeting on 17 June in Vienna, and (2) participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The re-enforcement of the ban on the All-Russia Athletic Federation to international competition by the International Association of Athletics Federations demonstrates the need for athletes to compete in a clean sport environment.
This was underlined further by the International Olympic Committee announcement that athletes from Russia, Spain and Kenya, countries that are currently non-compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code, that wish to participate in Rio will be subject to a pre-Games testing programme before being admitted to the Games.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of support for the "Statute of Limitations" policy pursued by the International Olympic Committee as it impacts on British athletes denied medals by athletes who have subsequently admitted to taking performance-enhancing drugs.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The ‘Statute of Limitations’ policy assists further in the worldwide effort in combatting doping in sport and sends another clear message ahead of Rio 2016 that there is no hiding place for doping cheats.
The awarding of medals to athletes who have lost out to competitors who have subsequently tested positive is a matter for the International Olympic Committee. Its 2020 Agenda does however recommend that there should be formal ceremonies to be organised for medal-winners who receive their Olympic medal following the disqualification of a competitor. The Government is supportive of this approach.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to (1) extend the powers of UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) to investigate doctors administering performance enhancing drugs to athletes outside the control of British governing bodies of sport, and (2) introduce new powers to enable UKAD to take legal action should such doctors be found to have breached the World Anti-Doping Agency Code; and if so, when.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The Government will review the outcomes of the independent review of UK Anti-Doping’s processes following allegations made in the Sunday Times. DCMS is currently undertaking a review of current legislation and, as part of this, will consider the independent review’s findings to determine whether any new powers are necessary.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in carrying out its assignment in Russia on behalf of the World Anti-Doping Agency, UK Anti-Doping has at any time (1) been asked for 30 days’ notice of tests by Russian authorities; (2) disputed payments for doping control officers; or (3) faced customs delays preventing the transport of blood samples to laboratories outside Russia within the 48-hour window needed for accurate testing or at any time been unable to match the tests being undertaken by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency to Russian athletes; and if so, on which occasions those events occurred.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
UK Anti-Doping has not been asked to provide 30 days’ notice by Russian authorities. UK Anti-Doping is not involved in the contractual agreement between the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) and sample collection agencies. This would be a matter for RUSADA and the World Anti-Doping Agency. While UK Anti-Doping has encountered challenges due to customs delays, it does not discuss details of its testing programmes as doing so might undermine what it is trying to achieve and the processes involved.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they expect the independent review by Andy Ward into UK Anti-Doping's handling of intelligence in relation to Dr Mark Bonar to be finalised, and whether they intend to lay a copy of that report before Parliament.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The review is expected to conclude during the summer. UK Anti-Doping will publish the report.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what advice on the risk and potential consequence of infection from the Zika virus during the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio 2016 is being given by the British Olympic Association and the British Paralympic Association to members of the British Olympic and Paralympic teams.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
The UK Government, the National Travel Health Network and Centre and the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association have issued guidance and advice on Zika for those competing and attending the Rio Games. All organisations continue to review and update this guidance and the Government will take into account World Health Organisation guidelines should they be revised following their latest risk assessment.
My department and the Department of Health recently convened an Olympic and Paralympic health advisory group including academic experts and cross-government representatives to support the British Olympic Association (BOA) and British Paralympic Association (BPA) in updating their guidance to athletes and staff travelling to Brazil for the Olympics. The Foreign Office will link this to their wider consular campaign ‘Stay ahead of the Games’.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which new testing techniques have become available in the UK to retest samples for re-analysis from the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic athletes since 2012; how often UK Anti-Doping has used such technology; when that technology was introduced; and for what category of drug testing in sport that technology can be used.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
UK Anti-Doping cannot disclose details of new technology used in relation to retrospective testing as this might undermine what it is trying to achieve when re-testing samples.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how long the washout time is for meldonium and whether UK Anti-Doping consider that an athlete who took meldonium when it was not considered a performance-enhancing drug and not on the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibited list before January could have still tested positive in January, February or March.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
There is currently limited data available on excretion studies relating to meldonium and, as such, several studies are currently being conducted involving WADA accredited laboratories, which WADA will share when available. UK Anti-Doping is following the guidance of the World Anti-Doping Agency who recently issued a Notice regarding meldonium.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government between which dates the current President of the World Anti-Doping Agency was a consultant to UK Anti-Doping; how much he was paid; and what his responsibilities were.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Sir Craig Reedie was appointed a Special Advisor to UK Anti-Doping in 2009. The role was created to provide expert advice to UK Anti-Doping, primarily during its formative phase, as and when required. Under this appointment, Sir Craig Reedie was not commissioned to provide any expert advice and therefore received no payment from UK Anti-Doping. He formally stood down from this role on his appointment to President of the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2014.
Asked by: Lord Moynihan (Conservative - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Cabinet Office Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Cabinet Committee last met; what is its membership; what is the budget of the Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Unit; and what has been the tangible output of its work in delivering a sports legacy from the London Olympic and Paralympic Games since 2012.
Answered by Baroness Neville-Rolfe - Minister of State (Cabinet Office)
Government and its Arm's Length Bodies have helped deliver a strong sporting legacy from London 2012, including 1.65 million more people playing sport regularly than when London won the bid for the Games back in 2005; over £1 billion over 4 years invested in youth and community sport; £150 million a year for primary school sport in the 2013-14 academic year and the following two years; and a 13% increase in funding for elite sport for the four years leading to Rio 2016.
The Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Cabinet Committee met during the last parliament and was not reconstituted in this parliament. Its membership covered a wide variety of government departments, reflecting the breadth of the government and Mayor of London's legacy plans. The responsibilities and the budget of the Olympic and Paralympic Legacy Unit now fall within the DCMS sport team.