Press releases 13 June 2016

Richard Driscoll Awarded MBE for Services to Anti-Doping in Sport

Richard Driscoll, a leading British Doping Control Officer (DCO), has been awarded an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to anti-doping in sport. Richard has worked as a DCO for 25 years and is a passionate advocate for clean sport, striving to motivate his doping control colleagues to attain a uniformly high level of service delivery across a wide range of sports.

Although his fulltime occupation is as a commercial pilot flying for a British airline, Richard also works as a Doping Control Advisor to UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), leading on the recruitment, training and ongoing development of a workforce of 181 DCOs and Chaperones. Internationally recognised for his work at major sporting events, including the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, Richard played a crucial role in the anti-doping programme for the London 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games as Head Doping Control Station Manager. Richard supervised and helped train 60 Doping Control Station Managers, 240 DCOs and over 600 Chaperones. Richard has also worked for European Athletics for many years, acting as Doping Control Delegate at European outdoor and indoor championships, as well as being a member of their Medical and Anti-Doping Commission since 2011.

Richard regularly trains new DCOs around the world and is often chosen by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) because of his extensive knowledge and experience in the field. To date, he has contributed to the anti-doping programmes in over 30 countries, including supporting the development of new National Anti-Doping Organisations in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Thailand, the Maldives, Brunei, Indonesia and Kazakhstan.

On receiving the news of the prestigious honour, Richard said: “I am thrilled and humbled to receive this honour. I thoroughly enjoy working in the field of anti-doping and have had the privilege of working at some great events and with some fantastic people who are all committed to clean sport.”

UKAD Chief Executive, Nicole Sapstead said:

“We are absolutely delighted that Richard has received such a special honour and that his dedication and commitment to clean sport has been recognised at the highest level. Richard is highly valued by UKAD and is an exemplary ambassador for anti-doping, fair play and professionalism. His exceptional understanding of the doping control process, coupled with his humility and a quiet charm, puts colleagues and athletes at ease and he is able to diffuse tension should it arise. His vital contribution enables the delivery of uniformly high standards of testing across the UK’s programme.”

“Richard often works with staff who are either paid a nominal amount or work as volunteers; he shows a particular skill and charisma in regularly motivating people and instilling a desire to raise standards. Indeed, Richard himself volunteers a vast amount of extra time because he is so dedicated and determined to provide a professional service for athletes and to evolve doping control procedures. In doing so, he makes an inspirational contribution to the fight for clean sport.”

• This media release was originally published by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) on 11 June 2016. To access the original, please click here

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