Montreal: The World Anti-Doping Agency said on Wednesday that government representatives had proposed Poland’s sports minister Witold Banka as its candidate to be the body’s next president.
The 34-year-old former sprinter was recommended by members of the Public Authorities, a panel of government members who help choose WADA chiefs in a special meeting in Montreal.
The current head of WADA is the 78-year-old Craig Reedie, who has served two terms in office and who is due to step down in December.
WADA rotates its presidency between representatives from the international sports bodies (the International Olympic Committee and federations) and governments. As required by the rules, Banka’s nomination will now be submitted to WADA by the end of May for the elections which will take place at the meeting of the WADA Foundation Board in Katowice, Poland in November 2019.
Banka was first put forward as Europe’s candidate in January, comfortably beating the 41-year-old current WADA vice-president Linda Helleland. Norwegian Helleland was the pick of western nations, chiefly the United States, as a strong critic of what she sees as WADA’s weaknesses towards Moscow and its lack of independence from the IOC.
She was one of just two members on the WADA executive committee who voted against Russia being reinstated last year. However, US Anti-Doping Agency chief executive Travis Tygart on Tuesday offered congratulations to Banka.
