The new NADO will be a separate institution from UK Sport with enhanced powers including the ability to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and assuming results management responsibility from the National Governing Bodies. Cooperation with law enforcement agencies has been a key strategy of doping control in countries that have pioneered this new approach.
An outstanding example is the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) investigation in the USA which eventually lead to the finding of a doping offence against Marion Jones who won five medals at the Sydney Olympic Games. Marion Jones had been tested over 160 times but the tests had been unable to detect the designer steroids developed by Victor Conte in the BALCO laboratory. It was only through cooperation with law enforcement authorities that the systematic doping conducted by Jones was uncovered.
The assumption of results management responsibilities will not only ensure consistency of results but will relieve the National Governing Bodies of a considerable administrative and financial burden so allowing them to concentrate on their sport, athletes and anti-doping education.
John Steele, Chief Executive of UK Sport, said, "The new NADO sends out a clear message of intent ahead of London 2012 that doping in this country will not be tolerated".
London 2012 has been a major consideration in the development of the new NADO. It may be considered that London 2012 provided a powerful stimulus to the creation of the new NADO and so has provided London 2012 with an early legacy!
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