Craig Reedie Re-elected Wada President

21 Nov 2016 | tshego

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The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has elected Sir Craig Reedie for a second consecutive three-year term as the organisation’s president.

Reedie was elected at the body’s Foundation Board meeting and was the only candidate standing for the role, with Norwegian sports minister Linda Helleland announced as vice president.

According to media reports, Reedie was thought to be fighting for his position as future head of WADA following criticism over recent months.

WADA has been under pressure this year with a number of doping bans – pushing for a complete ban on Russian athletes for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games – before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to leave the decision to individual sports federations.

At a meeting of Olympic nations in Doha last week, Reedie came under sustained criticism from officials critical of WADA’s recommendation that Russia be banned from the Games.

Reedie said: “It makes no sense to walk away now. The situation needs to be resolved and it will be resolved.

“I took this on expecting to serve two terms. OK, nobody imagined we would be spending two years dealing with Russia but that is where we are at.

“It might not look like it but we are making real progress now. I am not walking away.”

In a statement, the IOC added: “The IOC congratulates Sir Craig Reedie on his re-election as President of WADA.

“We will be working as part of the Reform Group with our partners, the governments, to deliver an anti-doping system independent of sports organizations and national interests.

“We remain committed to the comprehensive reform of WADA to make it more efficient, transparent and independent.”