Banka, Yang elected third time as WADA president, VP

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed on Thursday the third and final three-year term from 2026 to 2028 for its president Witold Banka and vice president Yang Yang.

WADA's Extraordinary Foundation Board Meeting was convened online to elect the new leadership of the international organization which is based in Montreal, Canada.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president Witold Banka (L) and vice president Yang Yang pose for photos during the WADA Foundation Board meeting in Montreal, Canada on Nov. 18, 2022. (Photo courtesy of WADA)

"Today's result reaffirms our shared mission and values. Despite the many challenges we have faced over the past five and a half years, it has also been a period of transformation, of resilience, and of undeniable progress," said President Banka, the former sprinter-turned Minister of Sport and Tourism of Poland.

"In our final term, we are committed to continue strengthening the global anti-doping system by elevating the athlete experience; expanding the impact of our science, development, compliance and intelligence work and much more," said Banka.

He said WADA and its stakeholders around the world would meet the shared objectives and exceed them with the sole purpose of protecting clean sport.

Yang, a former Olympic short-track speed skating champion, also expressed her gratitude for the Board's confidence and reiterated her commitment to spearheading WADA's increased emphasis on education and the role of athletes in charting the course for the future of anti-doping.

"Serving as vice president has been the privilege of a lifetime, and I enter this final term determined and fully committed to continuing the meaningful work we do each and every day," said Yang, "I am grateful for the opportunity to spend another term alongside President Banka and look forward to devoting the next three and a half years to completing the work we started in 2020."

WADA, established in 1999 as an international independent agency to lead a collaborative worldwide movement for doping-free sport, is composed of a 38-member Foundation Board, which is the agency's highest policy-making body.