WADA says it would do same again in Chinese swimmer controversy
Berlin (dpa) — The World Anti-Doping Agency has found no credible evidence of misconduct in the decision to clear 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ) in 2021, it said on Monday.
WADA was forced to hold an emergency press conference to try to stem the tide of negative headlines after the story first emerged from German broadcaster ARD, the New York Times and Australia's Daily Telegraph.
Chinese officials, swimming's governing body and WADA ruled that the 23 had only tested positive due to contamination and the swimmers were able to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
"In the absence of any evidence of any sort of misconduct ... I'm very confident we would have had close to a 0% chance in establishing" that the swimmers intentionally ingested the substance, WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel told reporters.
The comments were echoed by WADA president Witold Bańka, who said his body would do the same again in similar circumstances.
China said its investigators found traces of TMZ in various areas of the kitchen were meals for swimmers had been prepared.
A 30-strong Chinese team, including 13 of the 23 with positive tests according to the reports, went on to win six medals in Tokyo, including three gold medals.
The outcry has increased, with athlete-led pressure group Global Athlete saying WADA "failed to abide by its own rules" by provisionally suspending the 23. Germany's athletes association on Monday issuing a even stronger statement.
"If the suspected cases turn out to be true, WADA's apparently negligent behaviour would be a slap in the face for all clean athletes," executive board member Léa Krüger said.
Maximilian Klein, director of sports policy at Athletes Germany, added: "The credibility crisis of world sport and the fight against doping is intensifying once again - shortly before the Olympic and Paralympic Games."
The Paris Olympics start on July 26.
American anti-doping agency (USADA) chief Travis Tygart has been especially critical of WADA clearing the swimmers and the world anti-doping agency threatened legal action, calling his remarks "outrageous, completely false and defamatory."
There have been other doping cases involving TMZ, most notably that of young Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, whose positive test in December 2021 was announced during the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. Valieva was allowed to carry on competing in China but was later banned for four years.
