MADRID, Nov 17, 2007 (AFP) - Australian politician John Fahey was elected president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) here on Saturday.

Fahey was a key figure in the Sydney 2000 Olympics bid and spent 17 years in state and federal politics in Australia before retiring in 2001 for health reasons after contracting lung cancer.

The 62-year-old lawyer will succeed Canada's Dick Pound, who has been in office since the foundation of WADA in 1999, for a three year period from January 1, 2008.

MADRID, Nov 17, 2007 (AFP) - Penpic of the new World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) president John Fahey, who was elected here on Saturday:

MONTREAL, Sept 23, 2007 (AFP) - An Australian former Finance Minister emerged Sunday as a contender to head the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in a challenge to the current vice-president and former French Sports Minister Jean-Francois Lamour.

John Fahey, whose candidature was voted on at a WADA meeting here this weekend, will contest a vote to be taken at a WADA meeting in Madrid on November 15-17 by the representatives of the agency's 17 member governments.

PARIS, July 26, 2007 (AFP) - World anti-doping body, WADA, on Thursday upped the stakes in the Tour de France`s battle to save its damaged credibility by calling for a high-level summit to discuss the doping crisis.

WADA president Dick Pound admitted he was concerned by developments in the Tour this week which have seen yellow jersey Michael Rasmussen axed from the race and long-time favourite Alexandre Vinokourov fail a test for blood doping.

LONDON, July 22, 2007 (AFP) - Dick Pound, who heads the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), has advised golf to start doing drug testing as soon as it can in response to claims top players are using banned substances.

Pound mirrored the comments of the legendary Gary Player earlier this week who claims to have been told of drug abuse on the major tours.

The European Tour intends to introduce a drug-testing policy and are having talks with the PGA Tour in America and other circuits about making the policy worldwide.