HC Deb 29 October 2002 vol 391 cc699-700W
Mr. Gareth Thomas

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tests for EPO have been conducted in the UK during(a) the Commonwealth Games and (b) other sporting events; and if she will make a statement. [77518]

Mr. Caborn

The anti-doping programme in the UK is delivered through the national anti-doping organisation, UK Sport. In addition, UK Sport was contracted by the Commonwealth Games Federation in conjunction with Manchester 2002 (the organising committee for the 2002 Commonwealth Games) to manage the anti-doping programme over the Games period.

UK Sport has confirmed that during the Commonwealth Games it conducted 16 tests for erythropoietin (EPO). The other sporting events where UK Sport has conducted EPO testing have been the 2002 London Marathon, where 16 EPO tests were undertaken, and the World Half Marathon, which took place in Bristol in October 2001, where five EPO tests were undertaken.