WADA congratulates Vice-Presidential nominee Yang Yang

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) congratulates double Olympic champion Yang Yang from China on her nomination by the representatives of the Sport Movement on WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) and Foundation Board (Board) as their preferred candidate for the position of WADA Vice-President when the current incumbent, Norwegian politician Linda Helleland, steps down from the role at the end of 2019.

Ms. Yang, who was a member of WADA’s Athlete Committee from 2005-2013, won two gold medals and a silver for short track speed skating at the Winter Olympic Games 2002 in Salt Lake City, USA, while also winning silver at the 1998 Games in Nagano, Japan, and a bronze at the 2006 Games in Turin, Italy. She also won a total of 28 gold medals at World Championships between 1997-2005.

Last week, the representatives of the public authorities of the ExCo and Board nominated Poland’s Minister of Sport and Tourism, ExCo member and former 400m sprinter Witold Banka as their preferred candidate for the position of WADA President when Sir Craig Reedie steps down at the end of 2019.

The President and Vice-President will be formally elected by the Board at the World Conference on Doping in Sport 2019, which takes place in Katowice, Poland, from 5-7 November, and each will assume their role for a three-year term from 1 January 2020.

Once confirmed, these nominations will place recent former athletes in the two most senior positions in WADA’s governance. In addition, athletes already hold one voting position on the ExCo and four on the Board with further governance reforms set to be introduced in the near future, including the addition of at least one athlete representative on each WADA Standing Committee. This ensures athletes’ voices are at the heart of WADA.