Norwegian politician Helleland launches bid for WADA presidency

As a WADA vice-president, Helleland, who has often sided with athletes' groups over current president Craig Reedie, opposed the reinstatement of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) at a heated meeting in the Seychelles in September.

Norwegian politician Helleland launches bid for WADA presidency

(Reuters)





The WADA executive committee earlier this week voted not to re-impose a suspension on RUSADA despite missing a deadline to turn over data. At the meeting, Helleland repeated her call for Russia to be declared non-compliant until all anti-doping data from the Moscow laboratory has been received and verified.

WADA is currently examining the extracted data after Russian authorities relented and allowed entry on Jan. 3.

Helleland has also called for an independent investigation into WADA's handling of the Russian crisis which has divided the global anti-doping effort.

RUSADA was suspended in 2015 after a WADA-commissioned report found evidence of state-sponsored doping in Russian athletics.

"Since the founding of WADA 20 years ago anti-doping has made great strides, however WADA needs to evolve and modernise if it is to prove itself to be fit for the future," Helleland, who served as Norway's Minister of Children and Equality from January 2018 to this month, said in a statement.

"The Russian doping crisis presented the world, and above all WADA, with the gravest sporting scandal this century.

"This is an issue our Clean Sport Movement will be defined by for decades to come, and that is why I am determined to take my vision to re-inspire athletes and sports fans and restore their confidence in clean and fair sport."

The WADA presidency rotates between government representatives and the sports movement.

WADA will vote on a new president at the World Conference on Doping in Sport which will be held from Nov. 5-7 in Katowice, Poland. Britain's Reedie will not be in contention having previously said he would step down when his second term ends.





(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto. Editing by Christian Radnedge)


Share

2 min read

Published

Source: Reuters



Share this with family and friends


Get SBS News daily and direct to your Inbox

Sign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to SBS’s terms of service and privacy policy including receiving email updates from SBS.

Download our apps
SBS News
SBS Audio
SBS On Demand

Listen to our podcasts
An overview of the day's top stories from SBS News
Interviews and feature reports from SBS News
Your daily ten minute finance and business news wrap with SBS Finance Editor Ricardo Gonçalves.
A daily five minute news wrap for English learners and people with disability
Get the latest with our News podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.

Watch on SBS
SBS World News

SBS World News

Take a global view with Australia's most comprehensive world news service
Watch the latest news videos from Australia and across the world