Doping scandal in China: WADA is preparing its defense in the case of 23 positive and admitted swimmers

The case of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine and were secretly allowed into the 2021 Tokyo Games continues to roil the small world of swimming. On social media, many famous athletes were stunned or outraged by the lack of transparency from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

While Léon Marchand was content with a smiley face with big round eyes to show his surprise, Marie Vattel summed up the general opinion in a few words. “It looks like WADA and the International Swimming Federation have let us down again,” wrote the 2020 European 100m butterfly champion.

The AMA, which quickly came under fire after the New York Times and ARD exposed the investigation, responded in two stages. First, by explaining that Covid-related health restrictions in late 2020/early 2021 prevented him from completing his investigation, that testing protocols were followed and there was nothing to cast doubt on the theory of an accidental mass contamination of food.

Then, he announced that he was going to sue for defamation Travis Tygart, the director of the American Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the author of severe accusations of the opacity of the system.

“It is disappointing to see that 23 Chinese swimmers have tested positive for a powerful performance-enhancing drug ahead of the 2021 Olympics,” Tygart said in a statement. It is even more devastating to learn that the World Anti-Doping Agency and the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency have so far secretly hidden these positive results, failing to fairly and uniformly enforce global rules that apply to everyone in the world. (…) All those who got their hands dirty by hiding positive tests and suppressing the voices of brave whistleblowers must be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the rules and the law. »

“The ITA found no credible evidence that there was a cover-up.”

The AMA accuses Tygart of wanting to “undermine” her work and of lacking evidence to support her allegations. For its part, the ITA (International Testing Agency, an independent monitoring body created in 2018 under the auspices of WADA and the IOC to combat doping), at the request of Le Parisien, confirms the receipt of confidential and anonymous information in the summer of 2021. regarding a number of positive results regarding a group of Chinese swimmers tested by CHINADA (China Anti-Doping Agency) in the first half of 2021.

The body then says it conducted numerous targeted audits and other investigations for three years, with inconclusive results. “This is a standard procedure that the ITA applies whenever it receives confidential information that may affect the integrity of our partners’ sporting competitions,” the organization notes. For the sake of clarity and transparency, it should be emphasized that since the CHINADA decision in 2021, the ITA has not found credible evidence that there has been any cover-up or manipulation of the anti-doping process. »

The organization, led by former sports minister Valerie Fourneyron, is taking the opportunity to encourage the sports world to expose suspicious activities. “As always, we continue to encourage anyone with suspicions to share them with us through our REVEAL reporting platform,” the ITA concludes. Because any information can potentially significantly advance the fight against doping. »