Montreal, March 21, 2025
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) welcomes the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) decision to award its highest distinction, the Olympic Order, to two long-standing pillars of the anti-doping community, Richard W. Pound and Dr. Valérie Fourneyron. Both received their awards from IOC President Thomas Bach at the IOC Session held today in Greece.
Mr. Pound and Dr. Fourneyron have been involved in the clean sport movement for many years in various capacities. Mr. Pound is the founding President of WADA and played a key role in its creation in 1999. He served as its President until 2007 and subsequently served on its Foundation Board until 2020. As Minister of Sport in the French government, Ms. Fourneyron represented the European region on WADA's Executive Committee from 2013 to 2014 and, from 2015 to 2016, she chaired WADA's Medical and Research Committee. Since 2017, she has continued to serve clean sport as President of the International Testing Agency.
"We appreciate the immense contribution these two individuals have made to the world of sport – they both deserve to receive this prestigious award," said WADA President Witold Bańka.
“For over 25 years, Richard Pound has been intrinsically linked to WADA and its global collaborative movement for doping-free sport. As WADA’s first President from 1999 to 2007, Richard put WADA on the map by ensuring that the first World Anti-Doping Code was developed and implemented in time for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, meaning that, for the first time, anti-doping rules were harmonized globally, across all sports and nations worldwide. After completing his term, Richard served on WADA’s Foundation Board until 2020 and, in 2021, received the title of Founding President of WADA in recognition of his enormous contribution to athletes and clean sport. He remains an iconic figure in our world and someone to whom we all owe a tremendous amount of gratitude.
“A sports medicine physician, Valérie Fourneyron served as the French Minister of Youth and Sports, as well as a European public authority representative on WADA’s Executive Committee. Valérie’s knowledge, expertise, sound judgment, and dedication to clean sport made her the perfect choice for the presidency of the International Testing Agency’s Board, a position she has held since 2017. WADA celebrates this honor, congratulates Valérie on her achievements, and thanks her for her continued commitment to sport.”
Created in 1975, the Olympic Order is the IOC's highest distinction and is awarded to recognize particularly distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement.
