GENEVA (AP) – The world's top anti-doping regulator says it supports its next decision after reviewing television documentaries and newspaper reports. 23 Chinese swimmers announced they will participate in the Tokyo Olympics Despite testing positive for a banned heart drug in 2021.
The World Anti-Doping Agency issued a statement following the incident. The documentary will be released on Sunday German broadcaster ARD reported on the incident.
In a statement following initial newspaper reports, WADA said it agreed with Chinese authorities and ruled that the swimmer's samples were contaminated. It was confirmed that the contamination was in the kitchen of the hotel where the Chinese team was staying.
According to a report in the New York Times, Chinese anti-doping authorities said the test results showed adverse analytical findings, but the swimmers were cleared without penalty.
Chinese swimmers won three gold medals at the Tokyo Games, with the United States winning silver in two races and Britain second in the other.
“Following WADA's review of the documentary, the agency remains firmly supportive of the scientific findings and legal decisions regarding this incident,” WADA said in a statement on Sunday. “We are equally confident that WADA’s independent intelligence investigation unit has followed up on all allegations received that are not supported by any evidence. We are therefore equally confident that WADA has launched an investigation. did not meet the criteria for
WADA said it was based on available scientific evidence and information “collected, evaluated and tested by experts in the pharmacology of trimetazidine (TMZ).” “Under global anti-doping regulations, there was no basis to challenge the Chinese authorities' findings on environmental contamination,” the statement said.
The drug at the center of this case was also the drug that led to the suspension. Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
In that case, WADA moved to sanction Valieva as soon as it learned of her positive test result.
Chinese star swimmer Sun Yang also tested positive for TMZ and was suspended for three months in 2014. This incident was also kept quiet by Chinese authorities and swimming authorities. provoked criticism from opponents When he won the World Championship the following year. Sun was later suspended for violating doping rules. High profile case Wada gave chase.
WADA said its position in China's latest lawsuit was accepted by international swimming governing body World Aquatics.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin on Monday affirmed WADA's decision, describing the media reports as “disinformation and false reporting.”
Wang said that China's anti-doping authorities investigated the incident and that the positive result was due to “the athletes involved ingesting the contaminated food without knowledge of it, and that the Chinese There was no fault or negligence on the part of the swimmer.” It is a doping violation. ”
However, the Chinese swimmers avoided the Olympic anti-doping rules that require provisional suspension if an athlete tests positive for TMZ.
“I would like to emphasize that the Chinese government maintains a resolute stance of zero tolerance against doping, strictly adheres to WADA norms, resolutely protects the physical and mental health of athletes, and maintains a firm policy of zero tolerance in sports competitions. keep playing and actively contributing to global efforts in combating doping.”
WADA has scheduled a press conference for later Monday in Montreal and said its president Witold Banka and director-general Olivier Nigri will be in attendance, as well as officials answering questions, as well as the top prosecutor and head of investigation.
The 30-member Chinese swimming team won six medals, including three gold medals, at the Tokyo Olympics. In the women's 200m butterfly, Zhang Yufei edged out Regan Smith of the United States to win, while in the 100m butterfly, Tori Husk of the United States missed out on a medal in fourth place, but won the silver medal.
Zhang and Junxuan Yang were part of the 4×200 freestyle relay team that won gold ahead of Americans, including seven-time Olympic champion Katie Ledecky. Canada was in fourth place.
“Doping can deprive clean athletes of hard-earned moments like standing on the podium and life-changing opportunities that can follow,” Swimming Canada said in a statement Sunday. '' said in a statement.
In the men's 200m medley in Tokyo, Wang Shun defeated silver medalist Duncan Scott, the British star who refused to share the medal podium with Sun Yang at the 2019 World Championships.
Many of the athletes are still competing on the Chinese national team and are expected to swim competitively at the Paris Olympics, which opens in July.
In an initial statement, WADA responded to what it called “some misleading and potentially defamatory media coverage this week” and explained the process it followed upon learning of the positive test.
The global anti-drug organization said it had been tipped off by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency in 2020 about China's alleged doping coverup, but that USADA had not followed up on the evidence.
USADA CEO Travis Tygart said the news of the positive test in China was “shocking.”
“The World Anti-Doping Agency and the China Anti-Doping Agency have so far failed to fairly and equitably abide by global rules that apply to everyone around the world, and have hidden these positive points in secrecy. It's even more shocking to know that.'' Tygart said.
The incident highlights what many see as flaws in the global anti-doping system. This means that national anti-doping organizations are often the front line in cracking down on drug fraud, and they have different levels of motivation to play that role.
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