Athletes have told the World Anti-Doping Agency that public confidence in the organisation is at an all‑time low, in a move supported by 17 national anti-doping agencies which are calling for widespread reform.

The British gold medal-winning cyclist Callum Skinner has backed a petition, started by the Paralympian powerlifter Ali Jawad, saying athletes were appalled by Wada’s decision to readmit the Russian Anti-Doping Agency last month and criticising Wada’s governance structure as “not fit for purpose”.

Skinner said: “The lack of independence, along with the fact that decisions that impact the livelihoods of clean athletes are made surreptitiously and behind closed doors, are two areas of huge concern to international athletes. This is not how sport should be run in 2018, and it is definitely not how something as important as anti-doping should be run.”

Jawad urged athletes to stand up and be counted. He said: “With Wada increasingly out of step with majority public and athlete opinion, it is now incumbent on the athlete community to drive forward logical, pragmatic and positive solutions to improve Wada and make it fit for purpose in the modern world.”

Seventeen national anti-doping agencies – including the UK and US anti-doping organisations – have promised to stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the athletes.

In a statement, the national anti‑doping agencies wrote: “While others may not be listening to your concerns and your solutions for how to improve Wada governance, we wish to make it clear that we, the anti-doping leaders, do. We stand united with you. We hear and share your concerns, and we stand with you every step of the way to strive to transform Wada so that it respects your rights and makes decisions in the interests of clean sport.”

The leaders also called for Wada to commission a thorough and transparent investigation into allegations of bullying of the Canadian cross-country skier Beckie Scott at the Wada meeting last month. “We must continue to work to overhaul Wada governance, and restore its credibility with athletes and the public,” they said.