From Inside the Games
A spokesperson for WADA confirmed to insidethegames that Crouch, who was appointed to the organisation’s ruling body at the start of last year, had “voluntarily stepped down” from her role earlier this month.
The 42-year-old made the decision “to make way for an alternative European Union (EU) representative to serve the remaining period of her three-year term”, the spokesperson added.
Crouch’s resignation comes into effect immediately and she has already been removed from the list of the 38 Foundation Board members on the WADA website.
Her departure comes as a direct consequence of Britain’s decision to leave the EU in June of last year.
Crouch was serving as a Foundation Board member as a part of the EU Presidency Trio, which Britain have now withdrawn from due to Brexit.
“At the time of Minister Crouch’s appointment, the United Kingdom formed part of what was the then future EU Presidency Trio and it was due to this status that the UK took up one of the EU’s seats,” WADA said in a statement sent to insidethegames.
It means she will not participate at the Foundation Board meeting in South Korea’s capital Seoul on November 16, where the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) could be reinstated after a two-year period in exile following claims of institutionalised doping in the country.
WADA said a replacement for Crouch, who recently confirmed doping would not become a criminal offence in Britain, would be announced “shortly”.
There is also one other vacancy for EU representatives on the Foundation Board, comprised equally of representatives from Governments and the Olympic Movement, and which is WADA’s main decision-making body.
This is due to Maltese Parliamentary Secretary for Research, Innovation, Youth and Sport Chris Agius’ term coming to an end in June of this year.
WADA has confirmed his position will also be announced soon.
The replacements for both are set to be discussed in Seoul.
