WADA seeks candidates for one independent seat on its Compliance Review Committee

Deadline: Friday 14 June 2024 

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is seeking candidates to fill one Independent Member seat of the Agency’s Compliance Review Committee (CRC); an independent and non-political body whose main purpose is to oversee WADA’s efforts to monitor compliance by Signatories with the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) and International Standards. 

In May 2022, WADA’s Foundation Board (Board) approved a second round of governance reforms, which included the reclassification of the CRC as a Permanent Special Committee. The CRC is composed of six members, including three independent specialists and three members nominated by athletes, governments and sport. One of its independent members will reach the end of their mandate at the end of this year; this call for interest is therefore meant to fill the upcoming vacant seat as of January 2025. 

The Terms of Reference of the CRC can be found here. 

WADA CRC Chair, Henry Gourdji, said: “I encourage qualified candidates to apply for this important independent seat on WADA’s Compliance Review Committee. This is a critical Committee within WADA that oversees the Agency’s efforts to secure and monitor Code Signatory compliance. The members are relied upon to provide expert guidance to WADA’s internal Compliance Taskforce on the WADA compliance program; and, in so doing, strengthen the global anti-doping system for the benefit of athletes worldwide.” 

APPLICATION PROCESS AND EXPECTATIONS OF POTENTIAL MEMBER 

Applications will be submitted to WADA’s independent Nominations Committee, which will make an initial determination to retain a number of candidates, interview and vet the retained candidates, and lastly, recommend a preferred candidate from a final shortlist of candidates. The Nominations Committee may also search for and identify suitable candidate profiles to ensure a robust candidate pool is available.  

The Nominations Committee will submit the results of its work, including the relevant dossiers and a recommendation on each candidate to WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo), which appoints members to the CRC. It is expected that the recommended candidate will be presented for approval at the ExCo meeting on 4 December 2024, with an entry into office on 1 January 2025 for a three-year term.    

Experience and expertise requirement 

Candidates should either have demonstrated experience at a senior advisory or decision-making level in complex compliance and regulatory matters, or legal qualifications with exposure to litigation or dispute resolution. They must be able to evidence an impeccable reputation with the highest integrity and ethics as well as strong cultural awareness.  Qualified individuals are invited to consult the Position Profile for a complete list of this CRC position’s requirements.  

Independence criteria 

Candidates must meet WADA’s Operational, Personal, and Organizational Independence criteria(1) in force at the time of their application, and during the entirety of their appointment should they be chosen for this CRC independent seat.  

For example, staff members or elected/appointed positions in bodies exercising authority with Code Signatories are not compatible with the independence criteria. This is also the case for members of law firms that regularly file claims for or against WADA. Further examples of incompatibility are provided in the WADA Regulations on Independence. 

Term of office 

Members of the CRC are appointed for a term of three years and may be reappointed for two further terms of three years if they continue to meet all relevant eligibility criteria. A member of the CRC cannot serve for more than nine years total on this Committee. 

Expected time requirement 

There are four annual CRC meetings (half in person, half virtual), with three of them preceding the ExCo meetings. Thus, the CRC is mostly active in February, August, and October/November. In-person meetings may occupy up to three days, representing a five-day commitment due to travel time. Virtual meetings may be spread between one to three days, and ad hoc meetings may be called regularly during a given year depending on compliance cases.  

All CRC meetings require considerable time for meeting preparation, which includes significant material readings ahead of each meeting. On average, the CRC requires approximately five hours of work per month, but there may be extra work for a given month and then no work for another month. In addition, new CRC members generally need to dedicate more time during their first year as they familiarize themselves with the Committee’s processes and ongoing files. 

Compensation arrangements 

Members of the CRC receive compensation based on the time spent on Committee work.   WADA is a not-for-profit organization funded by member contributions and compensation arrangements reflect this nature. In addition, expenses incurred with respect to in-person meetings will be covered by WADA. 

How to submit applications 

Applications are to be forwarded by Friday, 14 June 2024 to Diane Smith-Gander AO, Chair of the Nominations Committee (c/o governance@wada-ama.org). 

To be considered, all applications must include the following: 

1. a motivation letter expressing reasons behind interest in appointment; 

2. an updated curriculum vitae(2) fully outlining qualifications(3), relevant experience, and expertise that reflect the essential requirements of this position;  

3. a completed Declaration of Independence Form, confirming that the required independence criteria are met; and 

4. a written confirmation that the candidate has the time to actively participate in the work of the CRC. 

Applicants that are retained will be requested to provide up to three referees who may be contacted by the Nominations Committee. Retained applicants will also be asked to consent to the use of third-party services to conduct background checks and education verifications.  

Any questions should be directed to Diane Smith-Gander AO, c/o governance@wada-ama.org.  

Notes: 

(1) These criteria are set out in the Regulations on Independence in WADA’s Governance Regulations and can be consulted in the Declaration of Independence Form mentioned above. 

(2) For purposes of review, evaluation, and approval, candidates consent to the sharing of their curriculum vitae and candidate file (and personal information contained therein) with the WADA Administration, the Nominations Committee, as well as the ExCo and Board, in accordance with WADA’s Privacy Policy. Candidates are asked to review the Privacy Policy for details about how their personal information will be processed by WADA. By submitting their application, candidates confirm that they have read and understood the Privacy Policy and accept its terms. 

(3) If the candidate refers to qualifications/certifications in their candidacy, the year of obtention of any such qualifications/certifications must be included.