New Zealand's Sandford to replace Beckie Scott at WADA

Published Nov. 6, 2019 3:21 p.m. ET

KATOWICE, Poland (AP) — Three-time Olympian Ben Sandford has won the election to replace Beckie Scott as chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency's athlete committee.

The 40-year-old former skeleton racer from New Zealand defeated Belgium's Yuhan Tan in the committee's vote Wednesday and will officially get the job at WADA's executive committee meeting in January.

It's an important role and Sandford has big shoes to fill.

Scott fought for more athlete representation within WADA and criticized the agency for its handling of the Russian doping scandal. She resigned her seat on WADA's compliance review committee after it recommended Russia's anti-doping agency be reinstated, but she stayed on as chair of the athlete committee.

Her last official presentation is scheduled for Thursday, when the WADA foundation board meets in Poland.