Media Release: New York, October 17, 2016— New York Road Runners, the world’s premier community running organization, today introduced NYRR Run Clean, a comprehensive clean sport initiative, it was announced by Peter Ciaccia, president of events, New York Road Runners and race director, TCS New York City Marathon.
“Competition is a core tenet of New York Road Runners’ mission to help and inspire people through running. To compete fairly, with respect for yourself and others, and to run clean is where it all starts,” said Ciaccia. “Together with our athletes and partners, we share a collective responsibility to do all we can to ensure a clean sport. We need to communicate better, educate more, and keep working on testing and results management.”
NYRR Run Clean is an initiative that builds on the organization’s current no tolerance anti-doping efforts, which have for more than a decade featured a robust testing program and regulated rules of entry at the professional athlete level. The new initiative highlights advocacy, education, and a broader testing program.
NYRR produces over 50 running events a year, randomly testing competitors at the five races that feature professional athlete fields: TCS New York City Marathon, United Airlines NYC Half, UAE Healthy Kidney 10K, NYRR New York Mini 10K, and New Balance 5th Avenue Mile. In the spring of 2017, NYRR will expand its efforts and introduce random testing of top finishers at selected weekly races throughout the year. Additional details on the new testing program will be available in the coming months.
During the week leading up to the 2016 TCS New York City Marathon, NYRR will partner with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to host Athlete Anti-Doping Education sessions. The professional runners and wheelchair athletes participating in this year’s marathon will be required to attend. NYRR is working on plans to continue athlete education at all levels in 2017 and introduce educational programs for younger runners.
NYRR will be promoting #RunClean messaging throughout the year on various platforms, beginning at this year’s TCS New York City Marathon, and will be working with athletes and other NYRR partners to help spread the #RunClean message.
NYRR is a global leader in the clean sport movement. Since 2002, NYRR has worked with USADA to test the professional athlete fields at numerous NYRR events. In-competition testing has been conducted on hundreds of athletes and wheelchair athletes, including at the past 13 New York City Marathons.
NYRR partners with the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) and USADA on a robust out-of-competition (pre-race) testing program at the TCS New York City Marathon, gathering data for the Athlete Biological Passport program. Through this partnership, hundreds of samples have been collected.
In addition, as a founding member of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, NYRR has been at the forefront of anti-doping efforts around the globe and helped shape and fund the current AWMM elite athlete testing program.
About New York Road Runners (NYRR)
Founded in 1958, New York Road Runners has grown from a local running club to the world’s premier community running organization, whose mission is to help and inspire people through running. NYRR’s commitment to New York City’s five boroughs features races, community events, youth running initiatives, school programs, and training resources that provide hundreds of thousands of people each year, from children to seniors, with the motivation, know-how, and opportunity to Run for Life. NYRR’s premier event, and the largest marathon in the world, is the TCS New York City Marathon. Held annually on the first Sunday in November, the race features 50,000 runners, from the world’s top professional athletes to a vast range of competitive, recreational, and charity runners. To learn more, visit nyrr.org.
