The World Anti-Doping Agency has admitted that nearly 20 Chinese swimmers have tested positive for banned substances in the months ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, while positive tests blame China for contamination. advocated for the review.
In a statement released on Saturday, WADA confirmed that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the performance-enhancing drug trimetazidine (TMZ) in early 2021. WADA also responded by calling it “misleading and potentially defamatory media coverage.” to media reports claiming authorities dismissed the positive results.
The New York Times and Daily Telegraph both reported on Saturday that he had tested positive. The Times reported that the positive test was not made public and the swimmers were not suspended, and that China made up almost half of the athletes sent to the Tokyo Games, and some of the swimmers won medals. Reported.
WADA said the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) notified its decision in June 2021 to accept that the swimmers had tested positive “after inadvertent exposure to the substance due to contamination.” Ta. WADA said it then spent several weeks reviewing the China ADA's decision and the contamination theory.
“As part of the review, WADA will collect additional unpublished scientific information regarding TMZ to test contamination theories and whether low doses of TMZ may have benefited athletes during competitive swimming competitions. “We have consulted with independent scientific experts to verify this,” WADA said.
WADA said its investigators were unable to travel to China due to COVID-19 restrictions and were “not in a position to disprove the possibility that the contamination was a TMZ source, and that the contamination was consistent with the analytical data in the report.” We have finally come to the conclusion that we will.” File. “
“WADA also concluded that given the specific circumstances of the alleged contamination, the athletes would be found not at fault or at fault,” the agency said. “Therefore, on the advice of external counsel, WADA has determined that the appeal is not meritorious.”
Olivier Rabin, WADA's senior director of science and medicine, said in a statement that the contamination scenario is supported by “consistently low concentrations and no doping pattern.”
Gunther Younger, WADA's director of intelligence and investigations, said the criteria for opening an investigation had not been met “based on the information available and the lack of reliable evidence”.
“At every step, WADA I&I followed all due process and diligently investigated all leads and items of investigation regarding this matter,” Younger said in a statement.
Rabin said WADA had notified the International Testing Agency, a Switzerland-based anti-doping organization that independently monitors international sporting events.
The Times said the matter was under review by an international testing agency.
In a statement to the China Times, CHINADA said it was found that the athletes did not violate anti-doping laws and that details of the incident could not be made public without their consent.
WADA's statement did not name the swimmers involved.
U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart said he was “shocked” to see a Chinese swimmer test positive for TMZ ahead of the 2021 Olympics.
“The World Anti-Doping Agency and the China Anti-Doping Agency have so far failed to fairly and equally adhere to global rules that apply to everyone around the world, and have hidden these positive points in secrecy. It is even more shocking to learn that this is the case,” Tygart said in a statement Saturday. “Our hearts go out to the athletes from around the world who may have been affected by this possible cover-up, who may have lost podium moments, financial opportunities, and memories with their families that will never be replaced. It hurts.”
Younger denied there was a cover-up in the statement, saying: “The data we have clearly shows that there was no attempt to cover up the positive tests that Chinese authorities were reporting in the usual way. “There is,” he said.
TMZ is a drug that increases blood flow to the heart and is used to treat angina pectoris. It has been banned by WADA since 2014.
Russian skater Kamila Valieva has tested positive for drugs ahead of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. The then-15-year-old was allowed to compete, but was later disqualified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which stripped Russia of its team gold medal.
Olympic officials said Valieva claimed her positive drug test result was the result of a mix-up with her grandfather's heart medication.
