Witold Bańka

WADA President @wada_ama / Minister of Sport and Tourism 2015-2019 🇵🇱 / 400m,4x400m

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

Miałem zaszczyt osobiście przekazać Jego Królewskiej Mości Królowi Tajlandii Maha Vajiralongkornowi (Ramie X) wyjątkowy dar z Polski — drzewo wykonane z bursztynu, od wieków nazywanego „polskim złotem”. 🇵🇱🇹🇭

Bałtycki bursztyn od tysięcy lat jest częścią naszego dziedzictwa, a dawny Szlak Bursztynowy łączył ziemie nad Bałtykiem z odległymi kulturami Europy.

Niech to bursztynowe drzewo — zakorzenione w polskiej tradycji i historii — będzie wyrazem najwyższego szacunku oraz symbolem przyjaźni łączącej Polskę i Królestwo Tajlandii. 🇵🇱🤝🇹🇭

[WADA @wada_ama]

We are pleased to announce that Her Majesty Queen Suthida of Thailand has been named a WADA Global Ambassador for Clean Sport. 🏆

In this honorary role, Her Majesty will help promote the values of integrity, fairness and clean sport around the world. 🤝

Read more here: https://t.co/5XB6Ok0xPR

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

A great honour to meet Their Majesties King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida of Thailand in Bangkok.

This was also a very special moment for WADA as we welcomed Her Majesty Queen Suthida as a Global Ambassador for Clean Sport. Her Majesty’s engagement will help promote integrity, fairness and the values of clean sport around the world. @wada_ama

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

💥Thank you, @CSIWorld , for recognizing WADA’s GAIIN project with the Outstanding Enhanced Safety Award! @wada_ama

The impact behind this recognition speaks for itself: 260 operations worldwide, 100+ tonnes of PEDs seized, 90 illicit labs dismantled, 2+ billion potentially dangerous doses kept off the global market, and customer lists containing around 26,000 names connected to sport-related enquiries confiscated by law enforcement and shared with WADA investigators.

A powerful recognition of what global cooperation can achieve in protecting sport and public health. 🌍

[WADA @wada_ama]

🏆 We are proud to announce that our Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network (GAIIN) project has been recognized with the 'Outstanding Enhanced Safety Award' at the prestigious 2026 Crime Stoppers International Global Annual Awards ceremony in Panama City, Panama!

It is a tremendous honor to receive this award, which recognizes a significant contribution to public safety through intelligence sharing, surveillance, or crime prevention initiatives. 🤝

Read more here: https://t.co/PmNNzIpYAX

[WADA @wada_ama]

🌍 Our President @WitoldBanka, Africa Office Director Rodney Swigelaar and Director of WADA’s Intelligence and Investigations (I&I) department Günter Younger, visited Nairobi, Kenya to meet with anti-doping stakeholders to discuss how to build on recent progress made in strengthening the anti-doping program in Kenya and chart a path forwards.

️Discover more about this visit here: https://t.co/3eYgFm14ku

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

Today’s discussions with NOC-K President Shadrack Maluki and the NOC-K Executive, followed by an exchange with Kenya’s law-enforcement, investigative and prosecutorial authorities, reinforced a clear message: protecting clean sport is a shared responsibility. Strong coordination across sport and public authorities, effective intelligence-sharing and determined action against those who facilitate doping are essential to protecting athletes and the integrity of Kenyan sport. @wada_ama

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

I had an open and candid exchange today with athletes from across Kenyan sport. We discussed their experiences of anti-doping, the challenges they face and what more can be done to make the system fair, effective and responsive to athletes’ needs.

The conversation included difficult questions, honest reflections and powerful first-hand accounts from athletes about their experiences and the realities they face. These perspectives matter. Athletes’ voices must remain central to how anti-doping is shaped and delivered.

Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences so openly and contributed to such a frank and engaging discussion. @wada_ama

[William Samoei Ruto, PhD @WilliamsRuto]

Held talks with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) President Witold Ban̈ka at State House Nairobi.

Kenya is closely working with the World Anti-Doping Agency to ensure that our sports remain clean. Since Kenya domesticated the anti-doping law in 2016, we have continued to strengthen it as new realities emerge.

Currently, we are aligning the current law with WADA's World Anti-Doping Code and Rules to be operationalised in January 2027.

Additionally, the Anti-Narcotics Unit at the Directorate of Crimimal Investigation will become an integral part of the broader fight against doping.

In our efforts to revitalise sports in our country, we are investing heavily in infrastructure to grow talent and ensure our young people benefit from their talents and skills.

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

Very pleased to meet H.E. President William Ruto during my visit to Kenya. Kenya is rightly proud to be the Home of Champions — and protecting that legacy means ensuring it is also a home of clean sport. We had a constructive discussion on the need for a strong culture of clean sport and a determined approach to preventing and fighting doping. The commitment is clear, and it now needs to be matched by sustained action. Thank you, Mr President, for the warm welcome and valuable exchange @wada_ama @ADAKKENYA .

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

Constructive discussions with Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya, ADAK Chair Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Aphaxard Muthuri Kiugu, the Board and the ADAK team on the next phase of Kenya’s anti-doping programme.

While progress has been made, there is still significant work ahead to ensure consistent and effective implementation of the World Anti-Doping Code and International Standards. This will require sustained commitment from all stakeholders — from the Government in ensuring a strong framework, institutional stability and sustainable resources, to ADAK in strengthening governance, operational delivery and technical capacity.

WADA is ready to play its part in driving this process forward by providing targeted technical assistance and capacity-building, including in investigations and intelligence, within its mandate.

[H.E Salim_Mvurya, EGH. @Waziri_Mvurya]

Welcome to Kenya, Mr. Witold Bańka, President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) & Director WADA Africa Office Rodney Swigelaar.

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

A special day in Astana 🇰🇿

Honored to inaugurate my Global Clean Sport Leadership & Sport Diplomacy Program at KNUS and to receive the title of Honorary Professor.

My sincere thanks to KNUS, Rector Tursynzada Kuangaliyeva and everyone who made this initiative possible.

Looking forward to building stronger leadership, dialogue and international cooperation for clean sport.

[Witold Bańka @WitoldBanka]

The Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya 🇯🇵 are also a great opportunity for important conversations and strengthening cooperation across the world of sport.

It was a pleasure to meet with many leaders of Japanese sport, including Seiko Hashimoto, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee and seven-time Olympian; Toshiaki Endo, President of the Japan Sport Association; Dr Ichiro Kono, President of the Japan Sport Fairness Commission; Dr Yoko Tanabe, Chair of the Japan Anti-Doping Agency and Olympic medallist; and Koji Murofushi, WADA Executive Committee member and Olympic champion.

Valuable discussions on protecting clean sport, supporting athletes and strengthening cooperation with Japan and across Asia.

Thank you for the warm welcome and excellent exchanges. 🤝🇯🇵

[WADA @wada_ama]

We have published updated versions of the 2027 International Standard for Testing (IST) and International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS), following changes unanimously approved by our Executive Committee regarding independent testing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games. ✅

The changes will come into effect on 1 January 2027.

Read more and access the updated Standards ⬇️ https://t.co/MRV8TFL4Hm

[WADA @wada_ama]

New Athlete Biological Passport features are delivering tangible results. 📈

Blood steroid markers are helping uncover steroid doping where urine data alone may be insufficient. The Endocrine Module has also led to the first Anti-Doping Rule Violation based on the flagging of a sample for specialized Growth Hormone analysis.

Discover how the ABP is making anti-doping more targeted and effective: https://t.co/n6rVUse3I3

[WADA @wada_ama]

Since its implementation in 2009, WADA has taken the lead in developing the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), a multifaceted anti-doping tool that builds a long-term image of an athlete’s biological profile and identifies changes that may signal doping.

Recent successes highlight the impact of new ABP features, including blood-based markers of steroid use and the Endocrine Module, as well as the continued importance of the Hematological Module in detecting and deterring doping and the ABP’s role in uncovering sample manipulation.

🔬 Looking ahead, we will host the fourth edition of our ABP Symposium from 27-29 September 2027 in Tokyo, Japan, bringing together leading experts and decision-makers to shape the future development and implementation of the ABP.

🔗 Learn more about the ABP’s recent successes and what’s next: https://t.co/TUunjPC10J

[WADA @wada_ama]

Today, our ExCo held its third meeting of the year in Belgrade, Serbia, which resulted in a number of important decisions aimed at strengthening the global anti-doping system.

Among important decisions and developments, the ExCo:

🔹 Approved the 2027 Prohibited List

🔹 Endorsed measures to further strengthen the independence of testing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games

🔹 Recommended to the WADA Board to approve a proposal establishing a series of consequences in regard to the voluntary withholding of contributions to WADA’s Budget by Governments 

🔹 Advanced important work related to investigations, unintentional doping, scientific research, and more

Discover all the outcomes of the meeting here: https://t.co/buXXEvsZKI

[WADA @wada_ama]

The power of GAINN strikes again 👏

WADA congratulates Poland’s Central Bureau of Investigation of the Police, the Silesian Border Guard Unit, the Czech National Anti-Drug Police and the Polish Anti-Doping Agency @POLADA_official on a successful joint operation that dismantled an international criminal group and led to the seizure of 167 kg of illegal drugs valued at more than CAD 450,000.

This investigation is one of many direct outcomes of our Global Anti-Doping Intelligence and Investigations Network – and another powerful example of what can be achieved when anti-doping organizations, law enforcement agencies and governments work together proactively. Our Intelligence and Investigations Department encourages countries seeking similar results to connect with us.

[WADA @wada_ama]

This week, we were thrilled to host World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam @Captain_Aqua and delegation in Montreal. 🤝 Constructive discussions were held with WADA President @WitoldBanka and Director General Olivier Niggli regarding ongoing cooperation before the whole group had the opportunity to join WADA’s Athlete Council meeting to discuss their perceptions regarding anti-doping and our joint global mission for doping-free sport.

[WADA @wada_ama]

We were pleased to welcome WADA’s Athlete Council (AC) in Montreal this week for its first in-person meeting of 2026. ✅

Over two productive days, AC members exchanged perspectives on key topics of interest to athletes and discussed their priorities that will guide their efforts over the months to come.

The AC also had the opportunity to meet with our President @WitoldBanka and Director General Olivier Niggli and to connect with WADA staff in an informative and engaging fashion.

With another productive meeting behind them, the AC continues to move its work forward, representing, supporting and promoting the voices of athletes on anti-doping matters. 🗣️