AP Interview: Polish WADA hopeful touts anti-doping plans

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s sports minister says the steps he has taken to fight doping in Poland have given him the experience to become the next head of the World Anti-Doping Agency.

Witold Banka says that in his three years as minister, he changed the law to start an independent panel that decided sanctions for doping, stepped up Poland’s anti-doping regulations to top global standards with a strong investigative body and raised spending on testing. The new law means anyone who provides a banned substance to an athlete can face up to three years in prison and those who are consciously doping can face financial consequences.

A former relay runner with a bronze medal from the 2007 World Championships, Banka says those doping are “cheats” who, when they win, take away a once-in-a-lifetime moment of glory from the true, clean winners.

The WADA presidency will be decided in November at a conference in Poland.