The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) said on Monday its Foundation Board has approved a proposal to extend the initial term limit for a president and vice president to six years from three.
A possibility for a further and final term of three years, with a full election process, for the top leadership roles of Wada has also been introduced.
"This was done in order to accommodate the initial cooling-off period and the formal election process for those positions," Wada said in a news release.
Under the current three-year first term, a president and vice president would have to start campaigning for reelection about a year or 18 months into their terms, which could prevent them from delivering on their mandates.
The changes harmonize the total term limit of nine years with the term limits for other members of Wada's Foundation Board and Executive Committee.
Of the 38 board members, 33 voted in favour of the revisions, one against and, at the time of the stated deadline, four votes had not been received.
Wada President Witold Banka and Vice President Yang Yang were both unanimously re-elected last November for a second and final three-year term in their respective roles.