The function is not easy. In recent times, it has tended to become one of the most exposed in the international sports movement. But she makes people envious.
Nine months before the election, candidates are jostling to succeed the British Craig Reedie as president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The former Scottish badminton player, also a member of the IOC, announced long ago that he would not run for a third term next November. The place will therefore be free.
Linda Helleland, the former Norwegian Minister for Children and Equality (she was replaced this week in this position), is in the lead. At least in actions. She declared herself first. She was again the first to officially launch her campaign.
The Norwegian chose her moment perfectly. She presented her candidate manifesto on Thursday January 24, two days after the very controversial decision of the WADA executive committee not to impose new sanctions on Russia. She can therefore easily surf the news of the moment. And remember that she was one of only two to openly oppose the lifting of the suspension of the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA), decided by the same executive council last September.
In her manifesto, Linda Helleland drives the point home. Logic. She explains that she has requested an independent investigation into how WADA has handled the Russian crisis since the revelation in 2015, after the Sochi Winter Games, of institutionalized state doping. “ Since the creation of WADA twenty years ago, the fight against doping has made great progress, but the Russian doping crisis constitutes the biggest sporting scandal of this century, she insists in a press release. His resolution will define our clean sport movement for decades to come. This is why I am determined to implement my vision, in order to bring new inspiration to athletes and sports fans, but also to restore their confidence in clean and fair sport. »
His campaign program is based on four points. She wants to put athletes back at the heart of the system. Very trendy. She proposes to reform the governance of WADA, to make it more “ modern and open ». She plans to review the World Anti-Doping Code. Finally, she wishes to strengthen the role of national anti-doping agencies.
« I am confident that my four-point plan to become the next President of the Agency will make it what the world wants to see: a strong, independent WADA“, insists the Norwegian.
To win, Linda Helleland will first have to take the first step: be chosen as the candidate of the European continent by the Council of Europe. To do this, she will have to beat two other applicants, also openly declared: the Minister of Sports of Poland, Witold Banka, and the Flemish Minister of Sports, the Belgian Philippe Muyters. The decision is expected in the coming days.
The European candidate will then have to battle with the rest of the world. The Dominican Marcos Diaz also entered the campaign, on behalf of the American continent. Like Linda Helleland, he is already a member of the AMA executive committee. Another applicant could come from Asia, but his identity is not yet known.
As a reminder, an unwritten rule, but accepted by all, provides for a rotating presidency of WADA between the sports movement and governments. After the Craig Reedie episode, the next president must therefore be proposed by government authorities.
The election for the presidency of WADA will take place next November, as part of the World Doping Conference in Katowice, Poland.
