“This is not a good signal”: WADA’s handling of 23 Chinese swimmers’ positive test causes waves

An investigation by the New York Times and ARD is starting to make waves in the swimming world. Twenty-three Chinese swimmers, including headliners, tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) seven months before the Tokyo Olympics, two media outlets reported.

Thirteen were able to line up in Japan and win medals, such as Zhang Yufei, the reigning Olympic champion in the 200m butterfly. Local authorities, under the greatest secrecy, came to the conclusion that there was an accidental contamination of food products with the blessing of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Faced with the emerging controversy over its negligence or complicity, the AMA quickly responded by explaining its inaction on the matter. The body confirms it was informed of monitoring by Chinada, the Chinese anti-doping agency, but was unable to complete the investigation due to health restrictions related to the Covid crisis.

“In June 2021, WADA was informed of the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency’s decision to recognize that swimmers tested positive for TMZ in early 2021 after unintentional exposure to the substance following infection,” the press release said. Scientists and WADA investigators were unable to conduct on-site investigations in China due to the extreme restrictions imposed by the Covid lockdown. Ultimately, WADA concluded that it could not refute the possibility that the cause of TMD was contamination and that this was consistent with the analytical data in the dossier. »

Even if the rationale involved a hotel kitchen where traces of TMC were found on the hood and spice containers, it might seem a little frivolous. And just like that, China won three titles and six medals in Tokyo with complete impunity. “There is not much to say on this topic. We all know that doping is an institution in China,” says the former swimmer.

“I’m not very surprised that 23 swimmers were infected,” smiles Michel Chrétien, who notably coaches 100m butterfly world champion Maxime Grousset at Insep. WADA eventually accepted the contamination theory because there were so many of them. Obviously, when we are talking about a country that, like Russia, has its hands full of fat and which we suspect of massive doping, the athletes are numerous and usually grouped in one place…”

According to the French technical expert, WADA did not want to bother with such a complex issue, with possible multiple appeals, just months before the Games. “The bigger it is, the harder it works,” he summarizes. If even one swimmer had been caught red-handed, he would have been fired. But 23…”

“It’s a bit of an incredible way of doing things.”

Denis Augin is also confused by the way WADA handled the issue. “Not only the control, but also the management is abnormal,” says the person responsible for succession within the FFN. I’m not a doctor or an expert, and maybe collective infection is plausible, I don’t know. But the leadership behind it is disastrous and does not send a good signal. There are many examples of people being contaminated by food and discolored. But in this case, there is a suspension procedure and an investigation or tests to determine whether the athlete is acting in good faith. It’s a slightly unbelievable way of doing things. »

There’s no fooling anyone around the pools, and with every stunning performance from the Chinese, you have to live with doubts and questions.

“I always like it when I see someone who appears out of nowhere, because the performance builds over time,” continues Chrétien. The Chinese have this gift for future champions, out of nowhere, overnight. I remember this swimmer (Ye Shiwen) who broke the world record in the 400m individual medley in London in 2012, swimming her final 50m faster than Ryan Lochte, the men’s title holder. It was huge. We can also wonder about the world record in the 100m NL (Pan Zhanle at 46ft 80m) or those three world breaststroke titles (Qin Haiyang) last summer in Fukuoka…”

Ogen refuses to see the chlorinated glass half empty. “I don’t really ask myself any questions, otherwise we could be saying terrible things about everyone,” sighs the former coach of Alain Bernard, the 2008 Olympic 100m NL champion. I am not naive, but pragmatic. Otherwise, we are included in the circle of all doped people, etc. It is impossible to question every performance. We had hints when I had Alain, it’s not very pleasant to hear! »

Next summer, members of the “Group 23” (whose takeover by TMZ could have earned them up to four years of bans) will find themselves on the grounds of Paris’s La Défense arena. So is Wang Shun, the reigning Olympic champion in the 200m individual medley and Leon Marchand’s rival in that distance.

“If a Chinese comes on the podium in Paris, everyone will be suspicious,” concludes the experienced Chrétien, former coach of Jeremy Stravius, the 100m backstroke world champion (with Lacour) in 2011. I know I don’t know, not good at my sport yet, but the sprinter (Pan Genlet) who swims 46 inches in the 100m IM and who just won the 400m in 3:45… Or is there a new way training, allowing you to perceive competitions, and I am no longer in the know. But we are preparing not only for this. If you think about it every day, you stop preparing. »