Athlete Council

The Athlete Council represents, supports, and promotes the voices of athletes on anti-doping matters; and is the avenue for athletes, chosen by athletes, to assume important seats within WADA’s governance bodies. Specifically:

• the Council Chair is appointed to WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo);
• two members have seats on WADA’s Foundation Board (with at least one coming from Paralympic sport); and
• the Council is in charge of appointing athlete representatives from amongst its members to the following WADA governance bodies*:
  • The WADA Foundation Board
  • The WADA Executive Committee; and
  • WADA's three Standing Committees.

*In addition, the WADA Athlete Council is responsible for nominating one Athlete representative to WADA’s Compliance Review Committee. This athlete representative shall not sit on the WADA Athlete Council.  

Council Composition

Previously a Standing Committee (formerly the “Athlete Committee”) whose 12 members were appointed by the WADA Foundation Board, the Athlete Council was reclassified as a Permanent Special Committee following the 2022 governance reforms, a change that seeks to recognize the Athlete Council’s role as a forum for the broader athlete community.

As part of these reforms, the Athlete Council’s membership was augmented to 20 members, all elected or appointed by athletes. It is now composed of the following three groups of athletes, to ensure adequate representation of a broad athlete community:

• Group 1: Five athletes appointed by the International Olympic Committee’s and International Paralympic Committee’s Athlete Commissions;
• Group 2: Eight athletes elected by the Athlete Commissions of International Federations; and
• Group 3: Seven other athletes, selected by an appointment panel made up by a majority of athletes, to fill skills and diversity gaps.

Should you have any additional questions, please feel free to direct them to athlete@wada-ama.org.