In May 2022, as part of a series of governance reforms designed to strengthen athletes’ representation within the Agency, the WADA Foundation Board (Board) approved the creation of a 20-member WADA Athlete Council, as recommended by the Working Group on the Review of WADA Governance Reforms in its Final Report.
On 4 January 2023, WADA published the Athlete Council’s membership as outlined in the table below that took effect on 1 January.
Council Composition
The Athlete Council is composed of the following three groups of athlete representatives:
- Group 1: Five athletes appointed by the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC’s) and International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC’s) Athlete Commissions;
- Group 2: Eight athletes elected by the Athlete Commissions of International Federations (IFs); and
- Group 3: Seven other athletes, to be selected by an appointment panel made up by a majority of athletes, to fill skills and diversity gaps.
Group 1: Appointed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) + the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athlete Commissions
|
|
Name |
Athlete Commission |
Sport |
Country |
|
1 |
KAYANGE, Humphrey |
IOC |
Rugby (Rugby Sevens) |
Kenya |
|
2 |
TERHO, Emma |
IOC |
Ice Hockey |
Finland |
|
3 |
VISSER, Jitske |
IPC |
Wheelchair Basketball |
Netherlands |
|
4 |
WŁOSZCZOWSKA, Maja Martyna |
IOC |
Cycling (Mountain Bike) |
Poland |
|
5 |
ZHANG, Hong |
IOC |
Skating (Speed Skating) |
China |
Group 2: Elected by International Federation (IF) Athlete Commissions
|
|
Name |
Sport Nationality |
Nominating International Federation Athlete Commission |
|
6 |
ĆOSIĆ, Ivan |
Croatia |
World ParaVolley (WPV) |
|
7 |
EGAN, Clare |
USA |
International Biathlon Union (IBU) |
|
8 |
HARSS, Jennifer |
Germany |
International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) |
|
9 |
HEGYI, Dora |
Hungary |
International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) |
|
10 |
KIT, Kristen |
Canada |
World Rowing (WR-FISA) |
|
11* |
|
|
|
|
12 |
SABLJAK, Ella |
Australia |
International Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) |
|
13 |
ZECCHINI, Alessia |
Italy |
World Underwater Federation (CMAS) |
*Seat currently vacant
Group 3: Selected by Athlete Council Appointment Panel
|
|
Name |
Sport |
Country |
|
14 |
AHRENS, Gaby |
Shooting |
Namibia |
|
15 |
ESCOBAR, Adriana |
Rowing |
El Salvador |
|
16 |
GOMEZ, Iñaki |
Athletics |
Canada |
|
17 |
O’LEARY, Patrick |
Paracanoe |
Ireland |
|
18 |
OYEDEJI, Olumide |
Basketball |
Nigeria |
|
19 |
PINI, Ryan |
Swimming |
Papua New Guinea |
|
20 |
TAN, Yuhan |
Badminton |
Belgium |
This new Athlete Council will represent, support and promote the voices of athletes on anti-doping matters; and will be the avenue for athletes, chosen by athletes, to assume important seats within WADA’s governing bodies. Specifically:
- the Council Chair will be appointed to WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo);
- two members will have seats on WADA’s Board (with at least one coming from Paralympic sport); and
- the Council will be in charge of appointing athlete representatives to other WADA bodies.
In March 2023, the Athlete Council held a virtual election session during which the following members were elected:
- Mr Ryan Pini: Athlete Council Chair and ExCo Member
- Ms Gaby Ahrens: Athlete Council Vice-Chair and deputy to the Chair on the ExCo
- Mr Patrick O’Leary: Board Member
- Mr Yuhan Tan: Board Member
Note: Given the Board and its composition is carefully regulated by Swiss authorities, the two new members of the Board can only be formally inducted once the revised WADA Statutes that reflect WADA’s latest round of governance reforms have been officially approved by the Board and the Swiss authorities.
The Athlete Council developed new Terms of Reference which were formally approved by the Board in April 2023. The Group 2 WADA Athlete Council Election Procedure and Group 3 WADA Athlete Council Appointment Procedure are attached at the end of the Terms of Reference.
Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to direct them to governance@wada-ama.org.