Like many leaders of international sporting organisations, Witold Bańka, currently the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency, had his own international sporting career.

Bańka was a 400 metres runner who represented Poland from 2005 to 2012, retiring in the latter year after failing to qualify for the London 2012 Olympics.

He was a relay specialist, and two of the highlights of his career came in Summer Universiade competition.

In 2007, at the Games in Bangkok, Thailand, Bańka was a member of the victorious Polish squad in the men's 4x400m relay.

Two years later he played a part in the final at the Games in Belgrade as Poland took silver in 3min 05.69sec behind Australia, who clocked 3:03.67.

Bańka’s international career had got off to a golden start when he was in the team that won the relay at the 2005 European Athletics Junior Championships in Erfurt, Germany.

Two years later he earned a bronze medal at the 2007 World Athletics Championships in Osaka, Japan, after running in the heats.