PARIS:
The World Anti-Doping Agency did not show “favoritism” toward China in the case of 23 Chinese swimmers who were allowed to compete after testing positive for a banned drug, an independent report said Tuesday.
In April, the New York Times and German television network ARD reported that swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) during a national competition in late 2020 and early 2021.
Chinese anti-doping authorities determined that they had unknowingly ingested the substance from contaminated food at their hotel and no action was warranted against them.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted the Chinese authorities’ argument and did not sanction the swimmers, 11 of whom have been selected for the Paris Olympics which begin this month.
The case sparked a global outcry, with US anti-doping authorities accusing WADA of a cover-up.
WADA then launched an independent investigation overseen by retired Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, whose interim findings were published on Tuesday.
“There is nothing in the record – which is complete – to suggest that WADA showed favoritism or deference to, or in any way favored, the 23 swimmers who tested positive for TMZ,” the report said.
WADA President Witold Banka welcomed the findings, reiterating his assertions that criticism of the agency’s handling of the case was due to “geopolitical” tensions.
Banka, 39, said there had been “disgusting allegations of a cover-up by some individuals in the United States” and added that the agency was considering taking legal action against its critics.
WADA’s fiercest critic has been Travis Tygart, head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), who said there had been a cover-up and the body needed reform.
“I am very sad that people have tried to accuse us of really terrible things,” Banka said.
“If this case had happened in any country other than China, it would not have attracted attention.”
The release of Cottier’s report was not enough to appease critics, however, with USADA chief Tygart saying in a statement that “most of the critical questions” surrounding the case remained unanswered.
“This is not surprising since WADA itself personally selected the investigator and set the scope of the investigation extremely limited, preventing meaningful review,” Tygart said.
USADA said it remains a mystery how the drug involved in the case, TMZ, got into the hotel kitchen where the food was allegedly contaminated.
USADA also said the scientific basis and data WADA used to conclude that the case involved contamination remained unclear.
“From the beginning, our goal has been to uncover the truth and facts of this situation on behalf of clean athletes,” Tygart said.
“Until WADA’s leadership shares this goal and stops spewing vitriol at any dissenting voice, there will be no confidence in the global anti-doping system.”
The US Justice Department is investigating WADA’s handling of the case and has subpoenaed World Aquatics (WA) executive director Brent Nowicki to testify in the case.
One of the 11 Chinese swimmers who will compete at the Paris Olympics is reigning men’s 200-meter medley champion Wang Shun.
This event will feature France’s top gold medal hopeful Leon Marchand.
When Banka was told that the local crowd might react angrily if Marchand lost to his Chinese rival, he said it would be an “unfair” reaction.
“Coming back to the results of the investigation, there is no evidence that they are guilty, so it is unfair (to accuse anyone),” he said.
“Until you have evidence to dispute it, you can’t accuse people of doping.
“From a legal point of view, there is no evidence to challenge the contamination theory.”
In the past, the defence based on contamination has often proven insufficient in individual doping cases.
However, Banka said that this case of mass contamination would spark a wider debate.
“We need to have a serious discussion about the cases of contamination, because I see more and more cases of contamination, especially in the United States, I have to say.”
