Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government how many out-of-competition tests UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) has undertaken since the decision to reduce the UKAD testing programme as a result of COVID-19 was announced on 17 March.

UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) publishes its doping test figures on a quarterly basis to preserve the integrity of the test allocation process and ensure the “no advance notice” testing principle is protected. Therefore, UKAD’s figures for the in- and out-of-competition tests it has carried out since 17 March 2020 are only partially available.

Testing figures for Q4 of 2019/20, which covers January-March 2020, have been published on UKAD’s website. According to this report, the domestic and international Anti-Doping Testing Programme carried out 2,512 tests during this period. Testing figures for Q1 of 2020/21, which covers April-June 2020, will be published after the period is complete.

Athletes are not required to declare in advance of tests if they, or anyone they are living with, are at higher risk from, or clinically extremely vulnerable to, COVID-19. UKAD has asked athletes and National Governing Bodies to provide this information to help their planning, however does not have plans to make this publicly available.