September 19, 2007 (Montreal, QC) – Montrealer Dick Pound has confirmed that he’s stepping down at the president of WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, by the end of 2007. Pound, 65, has aggressively fought doping in professional sports serving three terms at the Montreal-based WADA, and now says it’s time to move on. He told CBC that “doping is like alcoholism” and recognition of the problem must precede the cure for it.

In 2004, Pound commented to the media that, “everyone knows riders in the TdF are doping,” eliciting an angry response from seven-time TdF winner, Lance Armstrong. Pound dismissed the response claiming that he was surprised at Armstrong’s remarks because he had never named the Texan in his comments. Although cycling has been in the spotlight of international doping scandals, Pound claims it’s prevalent in many other sports, too. “Baseball, basketball, hockey: They’re trying to convince the public there isn’t a problem, and people don’t believe that anymore.” The worldwide market for doping products is estimated at around $20 billion.

WADA will choose its new president at a meeting in Madrid later this year.

Pound is also a partner at the Stikeman Elliott law offices and a former president of the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC). He competed at the 1960 Olympics in swimming. SkiTrax does not believe that Pound is retiring from sports – stay tuned for news on where he is going next.