Athlete Council

A WADA Permanent Special Committee

athlete-council-wide

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*:

 

*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.  

Athlete Council members elected for WADA's governing bodies

Athlete Council Chair and Executive Committee Member

Sport: Swimming
Country:                                                      Papua New Guinea

Video Presentation

Athlete Council Vice-Chair and deputy to the AC Chair on the Executive Committee

Sport: Shooting
Country:                                                      Namibia

Video Presentation

Foundation Board Member

Sport: Paracanoe
Country:                                                      Ireland

Video Presentation

Foundation Board Member

Sport: Badminton
Country:                                                      Belgium

Video Presentation

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.

Group 1 (in alphabetical order)

  • humphrey_kayange

    Humphrey Kayange

  • yujiao_tan

    Yujiao Tan

  • Emma Terho

    Emma Terho

  • maja-wloszczowska

    Maja Włoszczowska

  • zhang-hong

    Hong Zhang

Group 2 (in alphabetical order)

  • brorsson_mona

    Mona Brorsson

    New member
  • ivan-cosic

    Ivan Ćosić

    Re-elected
  • cunliffe-steel_toby

    Toby Cunliffe-Steel

    New member
  • harss_jennifer

    Jennifer Harss

    Re-elected
  • dora_hegyi

    Dora Hegyi

    Re-elected | Education Committee member
  • sabljak_ella

    Ella Sabljak

    Re-elected
  • tchatchet_ii_cyrille

    Cyrille Tchatchet II

    New member
  • vathje_maier_elisabeth

    Elisabeth Vathje (Maier)

    New member

Group 3 (in alphabetical order)

  • gaby_ahrens

    Gaby Ahrens

    Athlete Council Vice-Chair and deputy to the AC Chair on the Executive Committee
  • adriana-escobar

    Adriana Escobar

  • inaki_gomez

    Iñaki Gomez

  • patrick_oleary

    Patrick O’Leary

    Foundation Board Member
  • olumide_oyedeji

    Olumide Oyedeji

  • ryan_pini_m

    Ryan Pini

    Athlete Council Chair and Executive Committee Member
  • yuhan_tan

    Yuhan Tan

    Foundation Board Member

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