De Pencier, appointed to the role in 2012, made the decision due to personal reasons.

The iNADO, a not-for-profit organisation based in Bonn, Germany, which has 67 members worldwide, have already begun the process to select his replacement.

Those interested in taking on the key position within the anti-doping world had until today to submit an application.

insidethegames understands the iNADO selection board are hoping to name De Pencier's successor in July, with a view to beginning work in October to ensure a smooth transition.

The key responsibilities of the iNADO chief executive include "promoting best practice for all aspects of anti-doping and supporting World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code compliance by member NADOs".

Others include "enabling iNADO to provide professional development for anti-doping practitioners, expressing the views of the iNADO Board of Directors and membership on anti-doping policies, rules, regulations and practices (including to the media), and managing the resources of iNADO while maintaining appropriate standards of financial and corporate governance".

Back in March, De Pencier hit out at the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) declaration on anti-doping reforms.

De Pencier queried the absence of any proposal to give WADA sanctioning power or to establish clear criteria for excluding countries from the Olympic Games following evidence of state-sponsored doping.

He also disputed the IOC claim that anti-doping bodies contain just as many conflicts of interests as sporting organisations.

The IOC unveiled a 12-point declaration during their Executive Board meeting in which they called for sports organisations and Governments to be "represented equally" in WADA governance.

They also proposed for the Court of Arbitration for Sport to assume responsibility for sanctioning individuals and organisations in cases of non-compliance.

The iNADO also supported WADA's view that Russia should have been banned from last year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro following the first part of the McLaren Report, which went against the wishes of the IOC.

In January, leaders spanning 19 NADOs called for all sporting competitions, including the FIFA World Cup in 2018, to be removed from Russia until the country apologises for the Government-sponsored drug programme alleged in the McLaren Report.