WADA congratulates Richard Pound and Valérie Fourneyron for receiving prestigious Olympic Order

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is pleased that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has bestowed its highest honor, the Olympic Order, on two long-standing pillars of the anti-doping community, Richard W. Pound and Dr. Valérie Fourneyron. Both received their honors from the IOC President Thomas Bach at the IOC Session in Greece today. 

Mr. Pound and Dr. Fourneyron have been involved in the clean sport movement for many years in various capacities. Mr. Pound is WADA’s Founding President who played a vital role in WADA’s establishment in 1999, serving as its President until 2007 and thereafter on its Foundation Board until 2020. In her capacity as Sports Minister in the French Government, Dr. Fourneyron represented the Europe region on WADA’s Executive Committee from 2013-2014 and, from 2015-2016, she chaired WADA’s Health Medical and Research Committee. Since 2017, she has continued to serve clean sport through her work as Chair of the International Testing Agency. 

WADA President, Witold Bańka, said: “We value the immense contribution that these two individuals have made to sport – they are both worthy recipients of this prestigious award. 

“For more than 25 years, Richard Pound has been intrinsically linked with WADA and its global collaborative movement for doping-free sport. As WADA’s first President from 1999 until 2007, Richard put WADA on the map by ensuring that the first World Anti-Doping Code was developed and implemented in time for the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004, meaning that for the first time, anti-doping rules were harmonized across all sports and nations of the world. After concluding that role, Richard served on WADA’s Foundation Board until 2020 and in 2021, was awarded the title of WADA Founding President in recognition of his enormous contribution to athletes and clean sport. He remains a giant within our world and someone to whom we all owe a huge debt of gratitude. 

“A medical doctor specializing in sport medicine, Valérie Fourneyron served as France’s Minister for Youth & Sport, as well as a European representative of the Public Authorities in WADA’s Executive Committee. Valérie's knowledge, expertise, sound judgement, and devotion to clean sport made her the perfect choice for Chair of the Board of the International Testing Agency, a position she has now held since 2017. WADA celebrates this honor, congratulates Valérie for her achievements and thanks her for her ongoing service to sport.” 
  
Established in 1975, the Olympic Order is the IOC’s highest award and is awarded for particularly distinguished contributions to the Olympic Movement.