Katie Ledecky and Lilly King each spoke at a summit at the White House, calling for reform of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
WADA reinstated the Russian Anti-Doping Agency after a three-year ban in September, a ruling that has been seen as controversial and has faced strong opposition.
Ledecky spoke through a video statement. On Twitter, she posted that the Olympics need a “truly independent international anti-doping regulator free of conflicts of interest.”
Lilly King spoke in person. She has been outspoken on the issue, most notably calling out every committee that allowed Russia’s Yulia Efimova back into the sport after failing multiple drug tests.
Swimmer Katie Ledecky joins Summit by video and calls for reform of WADA. #WhiteHouse4CleanSport #ReformWADA pic.twitter.com/go7LUXGVOR
— Bill Bock (@Bill_Bock_III) October 31, 2018
There were a total of 14 athletes to speak a the summit.
WADA called the summit “one-sided” in a statement, first reported by insidethegames. “It certainly seems that the only ones invited are those that are now questioning WADA’s governance because they are not in agreement with the democratic decision that WADA’s Executive Committee took concerning RUSADA’s reinstatement,” the WADA statement said.
Great young ladies
Go KingLil