No drugs at the Olympics

Rob with Hugh Robertson MP and paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson

Rob with Sports Minister, Hugh Robertson MP

There may be some Olympic Athletes who take performance-enhancing drugs - but there will be few who will get away with it.

That was the conclusion I drew from a visit yesterday, with Sports Minister Hugh Robertson, and Paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey Thompson, to GSK/Kings College Drugs Testing Laboratory in Harlow.

The Lab, is in the former  neuro-science part of GSK and is quite a remarkable operation.  Every Olympian will be tested for drugs, with the samples then security couriered over to the Harlow Site.  There is then a rigorous conveyer belt operation to test/re-test and freeze some of the samples.  The laboratory methods used will be the most advanced of any previous Olympics.

I was incredibly impressed visiting the Lab and meeting Professor Cowan, from Kings College, who is in charge of the whole operation.  It is a great example of partnership between one of our most foremost Academic Institutions and a world-class company like GSK.  The University work hand in hand with committed GSK Staff.

Above all, it is incredible to have this Laboratory in our Town - something we should be very proud of.  Harlow with our new Enterprise Zone, University and hopefully a University Technical College, is making its mark as a centre of scientific excellence.

You can read more HERE.

by Robert Halfon - www.roberthalfon.blogspot.com