WADA Adopts Four-Year Bans; Reedie Elected -- On-the-Scene

(ATR) Outgoing WADA president John Fahey hailed the adoption of the revised World Anti-Doping Agency Code with four-year bans for drug cheats.

The code was unanimously adopted by the WADA Foundation Board on Friday at the WADA World Conference on Doping in Sport in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The four-year ban is the most notable aspect of the new code. The Court of Arbitration for Sport struck down a similar rule in 2011. WADA has said this rule is on more solid legal footing and that athletes lobbied hard for it.

At a press conference on Friday, Fahey described the athletes lobbying as "a really strong message".

"All views are important, athletes’ views are very important," he said.

He took time to thank WADA’s stakeholders for the code revision process which spanned 18 months. Fahey described the code as "the collective wisdom of the anti-doping community".

While the conference has formally ended already, the foundation board and executive board met to elect Craig Reedie as the next WADA President. There were no other candidates. The 72-year-old will take office on Jan. 1.

"For me this has been a 14-year period of gestation," the former British Olympic Association chairman told the WADA Foundation Board who ratified his election with a round of applause.

He said it was a great honor, adding: "I'm delighted to have been, as far as I can see, unanimously supported by the sports movement."

Reedie's deputy will be former South African sports minister Makhenkesi Stofile.

Written by Ed Hula III in Johannesburg.

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