By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

John Fahey in front of WADA logoNovember 21 - Australian John Fahey has been re-elected President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for a second and final three year term, it was announced today.


The 65-year-old - a former Australian Minister of Finance - has been in his present role since January 2008 just like his 79-year-old Swedish deputy, veteran anti-doping campaigner Arne Ljungqvist, who won himself another three year term as well.

Both were returned unopposed in a vote taken by WADA's foundation council.

The WADA rules state that the two roles should be filled by a politician and the other by someone from a sporting background - Ljungqvist is President of the International Olympic Committee's medical commission.

"I am very grateful to the Foundation Board Members for the trust they have placed in me and I am deeply committed to further advancing the global fight against doping in sport in the coming years," said Fahey, who had originally replaced Dick Pound as President.

"Over the past three years, this fight has continued to make significant strides under WADA's guidance and coordination.

"As the first Government representative to serve at the helm of WADA, I will continue to focus much attention on maximizing the role of governments for enhanced cooperation and sharing of information between Governments and sport authorities.

"High-profile doping cases and investigations underscore the fact that no sport and no country are immune to the threat of doping, as well as the critical need for strong sport-government collaborative efforts in confronting doping."

Fahey also emphasised the importance of education and youth activities in the fight against doping.

He said: "Doping in sport is a public health issue.

"Together, we need to continue to work hard to instil an indelible mindset on the youth that will never allow them to tolerate health and life destroying drugs in their sport."

Arne_Ljungqvist_February_2010Ljungqvist (pictured), who represented Sweden at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics in the high jump and is a former senior vice-president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), said: "I look forward to continuing to contribute to WADA's mission of preserving the integrity of sport," said Ljungqvist.

"The Olympic Movement has always supported WADA and will continue to do so in the future.

"WADA has come a long way since its inception eleven years ago. I am confident that, together, the sport movement and governments will achieve further success in providing a platform to clean athletes for the pursuit of their objectives."

The next election for the top two posts will take place at the fourth global anti-doping conference in Johannesburg in 2013 where the President will come from the sporting world and the vice-president from the political milieu.

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