By Frank Pingue
(Reuters) – Witold Banka was unanimously re-elected on Friday for a second three-year term as president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) during a Foundation Board meeting in Montreal.
Speaking before his re-election, Poland’s Banka said that while there has been much progress during his first term there is plenty more that needs to be accomplished in the fight against doping.
“The anti-doping system still needs to be strengthened and this will require the full attention of the whole anti-doping community,” Banka told the meeting.
“We are confident that with the ingenuity, support and unity of all our partners, we will generate fresh and innovative ideas and succeed in ‘Raising the Game’ for athletes worldwide.”
WADA vice president Yang Yang was also unanimously re-elected for a second three-year term. Banka and Yang will both begin their second terms on Jan. 1, 2023.
During Banka’s first term, WADA published its 2020-2024 Strategic Plan and carried out wide-ranging governance reform that both placed athletes at the centre of the organisation.
Also, in January the organisation commenced implementation of the fourth version of the World Anti-Doping Code and its eight related International Standards it says has brought further protection for athletes of the world.
Banka, a former middle distance runner, also said he would like to see WADA conduct a campaign aimed at making people aware of the importance of the mission the organisation is pursuing.
“Yes, anti-doping is there to ‘catch and punish’, but it is also very important that we ‘support and prevent’, too,” said Banka. “Therefore, my goal for the future is to continue raising awareness about our work and improving communication.”
In concluding his remarks, Banka stressed the importance of protecting sport — which he said is the only thing that can unite people no matter their political views, religion or skin colour — and that failure to do so would be catastrophic.
“People will turn their back against it. They will not want to watch competitions in which faster, higher, stronger will be possible only through cheating,” said Banka.
“We must therefore do everything we can to save this idea. To this end, we will sometimes have to take difficult decisions. Yet, I am convinced we will be able to make them together.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
