GlaxoSmithKline announced as Tier 3 Sponsor as London 2012 anti-doping plans confirmed

• GSK becomes Laboratory Services Provider

• Alliance with King’s College London to provide world class anti-doping facilities for London 2012

• GSK becomes London 2012’s 25th sponsor

Issued: 30 November 2009, London UK

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) today announces GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) as its Official Laboratory Services Provider in a Tier Three deal. GSK will provide facilities and equipment to enable Kings College London to operate a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited satellite laboratory at Games-time.

There will be thousands of samples analysed throughout the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games and the laboratory will be in operation 24 hours a day throughout the Games. The facility will be based at one of GSK’s research and development sites in the UK offering the capacity for King’s College to independently run the laboratory, working with the International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee during London 2012.

London 2012 Chairman Sebastian Coe commented, “Doping control is a requirement of any Olympic Games and Paralympic Games. We have taken a partnership approach to delivering it for London 2012 and I’m thrilled that GlaxoSmithKline is on board. Its involvement, working with the King’s College experts will see world class facilities available for an independently run anti-doping operation throughout the Games.”

"The Olympic Games and Paralympic Games provide GSK with a huge opportunity to be part of the delivery of an outstanding world event,” said Andrew Witty, CEO of GlaxoSmithKline. “I'm delighted we've put this alliance with King’s College London together to ensure that excellent science can play a key role in ensuring the Games are conducted to the highest ethical standards and that athletes can lead healthier lives. The Olympic and Paralympic ideals of people striving to achieve their best are core to those of GSK, as we share those values of excellence. There is great alignment in these missions and I look forward to our people making a significant contribution to the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games."

One of the UK’s leading universities, King’s College London‘s Drug Control Centre has a track record in anti-doping control, analysing samples collected from athletes competing in major sporting events and training.

Working with UK sport to implement the UK’s anti-doping policy in sport, the centre carried out more than 8,000 tests across 70 sports last year. The Centre, led by Director, Professor David Cowan, is well respected internationally and has a proven record of successfully delivering analysis services for major games. It was the first human sports drug-testing laboratory established outside of an Olympic Games.

"I am delighted that GlaxoSmithKline has chosen to make this important contribution to our ongoing work at King's College London to help deter drug cheats from coming to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said Professor David Cowan, Director of King’s College’s Drug Control Centre. “With this significant partner we have the capacity to be able to help protect the health of the athlete and the integrity of the Games."

GSK begins work immediately.

Ends

For further information please contact the London 2012 Press Office on +44 (0)203 2012 100 or visit the website at www.london2012.com. Find out the latest from London 2012 HQ on our blog blog.london2012.com

Notes to editors:

As it heads towards its £2bn budget for staging the Olympic and Paralympic Games, LOCOG has seven domestic Tier One Partners - adidas, BMW, BP, British Airways, BT, EDF and Lloyds TSB. There are six domestic Tier Two Supporters – Adecco, Cadbury, Cisco, Deloitte, Thomas Cook and UPS. There are eleven domestic Tier Three Suppliers and Providers – Airwave, Atkins, Boston Consulting Group, Crystal CG, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer LLP, Holiday Inn, McCann Worldgroup, The Nielsen Company, Populous, Ticketmaster and Trident.

The Worldwide Olympic Partners signed up for London 2012 are Coca-Cola, Acer, Atos Origin, GE, McDonald’s, Omega, Panasonic, Samsung and Visa.

About GSK:

• GSK is the largest funder of UK research and development. Last year, GSK spent £1.4bn on research and development in the UK.
• GSK employs more than 17,000 people in the UK with more than 5,000 people working on the research and development of new medicines.
• GSK is also the top private funder of the academic research base in the UK and is involved in more academic collaborations than any other company. Last year the company supported almost 300 Ph.D. studentships.
• In addition, GSK has multiple partnerships with the UK Research Councils in British Universities.

About King’s College London:

- Professor David Cowan, who is the Director of King’s College London’s Drug Control Centre, will lead the partnership between GSK and King’s College London. He played a key role in the successful 2012 Olympic bid, and has been involved in the science of anti-doping across four Winter Olympic Games, two Summer Olympic Games and a Commonwealth Games.

- King’s College London is one of the top 25 universities in the world (Times Higher 2009) and the fourth oldest in England. A research-led university based in the heart of London, King’s has over 21,000 students from more than 140 countries, and 5,400 employees. King’s has an outstanding reputation for providing world-class teaching and cutting-edge research.

View the video