Top royal accolade for anti-doping agency president
Sir Craig Reedie honoured for services to sport
A Renfrewshire man has been given one of the highest accolades possible in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list.
Already knighted and awarded a CBE, Sir Craig Reedie has now been made a Knight Grand Cross of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (GBE) for his services to sport.
The Bridge of Weir man has been heavily involved in worldwide sport for decades and is the current president of the Word Anti Doping Association (WADA).
He said: “I got a letter just over a month ago. I wasn’t expecting it. “You don’t expect something like this. “I was surprised and it was humbling, that’s for sure. “For me it’s rather nice that it has been dedicated to my work in sport. “That’s good news for me.” Sir Craig, 77, was a successful badminton player in his youth and managed to get the sport included into the Olympic programme in 1985.
He was president of the International Badminton Federation then became chair of the British Olympic Association and helped bring the London 2012 Games to the city.
In 2009, he was elected to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Executive Board and became vicepresident in July 2012.
Sir Craig said: “I was at the start of WADA when it was set up in 1999. I ran the finance side of things for years before I became president.
“I took up the presidency in January 2014 and it will finish in December 2019. There will be another conference and another president will be elected. “I can’t run again even if I wanted to. “I might cut the grass or play some golf. I’ll be coming to the end of my term with the IOC as well so things will be a lot quieter.”
Sir Craig was born in Stirling and went to University in Glasgow. He and his wife, Lady Rosemary, settled in Bridge of Weir in 1969 and raised their two children, Colin and Catriona there.
Colin and Catriona both live in London and have four children between them.
When he’s not flying around the world in his position as president of WADA, Sir Craig enjoys playing golf at local course Ranfurly Castle, Western Gailes in Ayr or the Royal and Ancient in St Andrews.
In the official citation announcing the honour, Sir Craig is described as “one of the leading global figures in the world of sport” who “has led the fight against doping, tackling high-profile and highly controversial issues across sport”.
It continues: “He has led major reform of WADA’s systems and processes, with a particular focus on compliance, investigations and whistleblowing.
“He has launched ‘Speak Up!’, a new secure digital platform to allow athletes to report alleged anti-doping rule violations.”
WADA director general Olivier Niggli said: “On behalf of WADA, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Sir Craig Reedie for his years of commitment and dedication to the Agency and clean sport.
“Never one to back down from a challenge, Sir Craig has navigated the agency through the turbulence of the Russian doping scandal and put measures in place, including funding, to ensure that the agency is fit for the future and able to protect the rights of clean athletes worldwide.
“His time at the helm has delivered many achievements for WADA – this prestigious award is an acknowledgement of his important contribution.”
I was surprised and it was humbling, that’s for sure Sir Craig Reedie