Witold Bańka

Effective January 2020, Witold Bańka commenced in his role as President of WADA. Prior to this, since May 2017, Mr. Bańka served as the European representative on WADA’s Executive Committee in his capacity as Minister of Sport and Tourism, Poland.

In November 2015, Mr. Bańka was appointed Minister of Sport and Tourism, Poland, to the cabinet of Prime Minister Beata Szydło; and, in December 2017, he was reappointed to the cabinet of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki. In this role, Mr. Bańka initiated the amendment of the Act on Sport that’s main objective was to increase transparency of the work of Polish sports associations; and, to eradicate corruption and nepotism from sport. He is the author of the bill on the Fight Against Doping in Sport, which comprehensively regulates all matters relating to combating doping in Poland.

Prior to entering politics, Mr. Bańka worked in the public relations sector, delivering training courses in media relations and reputation management.  In this capacity, he also created advertising campaigns and built PR strategies with leading Polish companies.

As a 400-meter runner, Mr. Bańka represented Poland internationally from 2005 – 2012, with career highlights that included: silver medals in 2005 and 2006 at the Polish Athletics Junior Championships; a relay gold in 2005 at the European Athletics Junior Championships in Erfurt, Germany; a gold and a silver medal in 2007 and 2009 respectively at the Summer Universiade in Bangkok, Thailand and those in Belgrade, Serbia; and, a bronze medal in 2007 at the World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan.

Mr. Bańka was born in October 1984 in Tychy, Poland; and, graduated with a degree in political science from the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Silesia in Katowice, Poland. While he retired from elite sport in 2012, he is still very active in sport, including running marathons.