Arne Ljungqvist


Arne Ljungqvist is a Swedish medical researcher, sports personality and retired high jumper. Ljungqvist is an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee, chairman of IOC's Medical Commission, and vice chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency. He is also called the "Doping-hunter" since more than 45 years.

Biography

Ljungqvist grew up in Ålsten, outside Stockholm. In his youth, Arne Ljungqvist competed in the high jump, javelin throw and decathlon. In 1952 he won the national high jump title and finished 15th at the 1952 Summer Olympics. He then left competitive sports to complete his medical training.

Academic career

After his medical studies, Ljungqvist was appointed professor, 1972–1983, and has made medical research in the fields of renal and cardiovascular diseases and, later, oncology at the Karolinska Institute. In the last years of his academic career, he was rector of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences in Stockholm from 1992 to 1996, an institution which has close collaboration with the Karolinska Institute in the field of sports medicine. He ended his professional career as President of the Swedish Cancer Society, 1992–2001.

Sports official

In the 1970s, he took on several roles as a sports official, first on the national level in Sweden and soon after in international organizations. He became a council member of the Swedish Athletic Association in 1970, and was its president from 1973 to 1981. He became a council member of the umbrella organization for Swedish sport, the Swedish Sports Confederation, in 1975, and was its president from 1991 to 2001. His international career as a sports official started when he became a council member of the International Association of Athletics Federations in 1976. He was one of IAAF's vice presidents from 1981 to 1999, and IAAF's senior vice president 1999–2007.
In 2013 at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina he retired as a member of IOC and became honor member. Still he is the chairman of its Medical Commission, 2014.
In 1994, he was elected a member of the IOC, and became the chairman of its Medical Commission in 2003.

Sports medicine and anti-doping work

Drawing benefit of his combined medical and sports background, Arne Ljungqvist was president of the Swedish Council of Sports Research from 1980 to 1993. In 1987, he became a member of IOC's Medical Commission, which has chaired since 2003. In these positions, Ljungqvist took notice of the increasing problems of doping in competitive sports, and its health consequences, and became a leading figure in anti-doping work. He became a board member of WADA when it was created in 1999, and later its vice chairman. He is also chairman of WADA's Health, Medical & Research Committee. Since 2008 he is the vice President of WADA.
In 2013 at the world congress in Johannesburg, South Africa, he retired as vice President of WADA. He was the chairman of WADA's Health, Medical & Research Committee

Professor Arne Ljungqvist Anti-Doping Foundation

The foundation was founded in the year of 2011, the same year when he celebrated his 80th birthday. The baseplate was a gift from the sports organizations, the Government and the Karolinska Institutet. The purpose of the Foundation is to follow Professor Arne Ljungqvist’s legacy in promoting scientific research on anti-doping matters and education for clean sports. The Foundation's purpose ought to be satisfied by initiating research on anti-doping matters in society as well as supporting anti-doping work in national and international sport, within the framework of the Foundation’s own purpose.
Awards
In 1991 H.M. The King's Medal in the 12th size of seraphim band
In 1999 the highest award of the Swedish Sports Confederation
In 2001 he received the KTH Grand Prize and in 2009 he was awarded the Sports Academy Honorary Award.
In 2009 Doctor honoris causa in sciences by the University of Loughborough
In 2009 "Sport and the Fight against Doping" Trophy;
In 2012 Olympic Order in silver
In 2014 during the Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia, his Foundation “Professor Arne Ljungqvist Anti-Doping Foundation” got Global Sports Developments 2014 Humanitarian Award.
In 2015 The Swedish government assigned him the royal medal ILLIS QUORUM MERUERE LABORES of the twelfth level

Professional positions

Represented Sweden at the Olympic Games in Helsinki 1952 and was amongst the top three ranked high jumpers in Europe.