The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has firmly defended its handling of doping allegations against 23 Chinese swimmers, asserting that it would not have acted differently despite global criticism suggesting a possible cover-up. Reports surfaced last week indicating that Chinese athletes competed in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, despite testing positive for the banned substance Trimetazidine (TMZ) just months prior. The Chinese authorities concluded that the athletes were victims of contamination, a decision WADA chose not to contest.
In response to the backlash, including from the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), senior WADA officials clarified their stance. They emphasized that there was no evidence to dispute the Chinese findings and that the levels of TMZ found in the swimmers’ samples were too low to enhance performance. WADA’s general legal counsel, Ross Wenzel, stated that an appeal against the Chinese decision would have had “zero” chance of success.
WADA President Witold Banka reiterated that the agency followed due process and thoroughly investigated every aspect of the case. “If we had to do it over again, we would do exactly the same thing,” Banka said. He explained that WADA reviewed the decision from every angle, gathered additional information, and consulted independent scientific experts to test the contamination theory. No credible evidence of wrongdoing was found, and thus, the threshold to open an investigation was not met.
According to the anti-doping code, authorities can seek explanations for a positive test before publishing provisional results, and a likely cause of contamination can exempt the disclosure. The Chinese Ministry of Public Security’s investigation found traces of TMZ in the kitchen of the hotel where the athletes stayed, leading Chinada to rule the athletes as victims of contamination. WADA noted that the ultimate source of the TMZ remains unidentified and that it could not conduct its own investigation due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Günter Younger, WADA’s director of intelligence and investigations, stated that the behavior of Chinese authorities did not suggest any wrongdoing. “For us, the question was why should they test them and report them positive knowing that will cause lots of problems for them later,” Younger said. He added that if there had been any indication of wrongdoing, WADA would have pursued it.
USADA CEO Travis Tygart criticized WADA’s handling of the case, describing the revelations as “crushing” and accusing WADA of sweeping the positives under the carpet. Tygart called for accountability for those involved in burying positive tests and suppressing whistleblowers. Banka dismissed Tygart’s statement as politically motivated and lacking evidence of any wrongdoing on WADA’s part. Wenzel mentioned that WADA might consider legal action against the damaging comments.
The controversy has sparked widespread anger and disillusionment within the swimming community. Three of the 23 Chinese swimmers went on to win gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, including Wang Shun, who narrowly defeated Duncan Scott in the 200m individual medley. Scott’s teammate James Guy publicly called for Scott to be awarded the gold medal. Scott had previously taken a stand against doping by refusing to shake hands with Chinese swimmer Sun Yang at the 2019 World Championships due to Yang’s doping case.
Sun Yang, who recently completed a four-year suspension for a separate doping violation, has expressed his desire to compete in the upcoming Olympics. Although he missed the Chinese trials, he could still be eligible for discretionary selection by the Chinese federation if he meets the qualifying time.
The controversy has also reignited long-standing tensions between Chinese swimming and their global competitors. The relationship dates back to the late 1980s when East German coaches helped establish high-performance training programs in China. Over the next decade, Chinese swimmers won numerous medals but also failed many drug tests. The World Swimming Coaches Association (WSCA) raised concerns about the extent of doping in Chinese swimming, but the sport’s governing body, FINA, was criticized for its inept response.
The current situation has led to renewed scrutiny of WADA’s ability to police the sport and World Aquatics’ ability to govern it. Athletes like Adam Peaty have publicly criticized WADA’s handling of the case. Peaty, who supported Scott’s protest in 2019, will need to compete against one of the 23 swimmers, Qin Haiyang, to win gold in Paris.
The Chinese press has largely ignored the doping cases, and athletes often remain unaware of their violations due to blind trust in their coaches and medics. This lack of information has led to a sense of persecution among Chinese athletes, as the authorities portray them as victims of external scrutiny.
The controversy has also highlighted the broader issue of therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs) granted to Western athletes, allowing them to take medically necessary performance-enhancing drugs. Australian coach Denis Cotterell, based in China, defended his swimmers, stating that outsiders do not understand the team’s culture and the challenges of avoiding contaminated food in China.
The case of Ye Shiwen, who won gold at the 2012 Olympics amid suspicions of doping, exemplifies the ongoing mistrust between Chinese athletes and the global community. Despite numerous doping violations at the London Games, Ye was not among those found guilty. The current generation of athletes faces similar challenges, feeling disillusioned by what they perceive as a system plagued by weak and conflicted administrators.
Source: The Guardian, New York Times
