PCC Now Accepting Pre-Applications for 2nd Round of Grant Funding

The Partnership for Clean Competition (PCC) – which aims to ensure integrity in sport by supporting high-quality, high-impact, novel research – is now accepting pre-applications for its second round of 2009 grant funding from researchers interested in applying for anti-doping research funding.

The PCC is an innovative research collaborative founded by the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), Major League  Baseball (MLB) and the National Football League (NFL), whose focus is to fundraise and make targeted grants in support of non-partisan and independent scientific research.

The PCC grant program considers research that has a high likelihood of resulting in methods or products that will advance the anti-doping field and ensure integrity in sport. The PCC is focused on better understanding how banned substances are used in every level of sport and the associated long-term consequences for athletes.

The open grant pre-application is available online, with a deadline of July 1, 2009. Selected researchers whose proposals align with the PCC’s objectives will then be asked to submit full project applications by August 1, 2009. The PCC conducts three grant application rounds annually.

“The PCC is excited to move into its second round of grant funding,” said Executive VP  of Labor Relations, Major League Baseball, and Member of the PCC Board of Governors Rob Manfred. “We have already seen high quality research in our first round of funding and look forward to considering future projects that further serve to ensure integrity in sport.”

Applications will be reviewed by the PCC’s Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), which consists of internationally-recognized experts and is chaired by USADA Chief Science Officer Larry Bowers, Ph.D. The Board of Governors, comprised of representatives from the USOC, USADA, MLB and NFL, considers the SAB recommendations and makes final determination on grant winners.

The PCC awarded its first anti-doping research grant last month. The recipient of the

$500,000 grant was J. Thomas Brenna, Ph.D., of Cornell University for his grant proposal titled, “Characterization of the Human Urinary Steroidome for Anti-Doping Applications.