Universities ‘breeding grounds’ for sport drug use, peer claims

University gyms are “breeding grounds” for the use of “exceptionally dangerous” illegal performance-enhancing drugs in sport, a Conservative peer has said.

Speaking at the House of Lords on 3 December, Colin Moynihan said that not enough universities had signed up to a charter run by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), and that a lack of testing and poor medical advice for student athletes was potentially exacerbating the situation.

“A key area in the anti-doping landscape is the risk and vulnerability surrounding young athletes transitioning to senior sport from the amateur ranks,” Moynihan said in a debate on drug use in sport. “Of course, many of those in transition are in higher education or universities, and too often, university gyms are the breeding grounds for banned performance-enhancing drugs.