Swimming
WADA quashes allegations of concealing Chinese swimmers' positive test results
USADA reacted sharply to the WADA's decision to accept the Chinese anti-doping body's investigations into the allegations of doping.
Representative Photograph
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) quashed the accusations of concealing data of Chinese swimmers' positive test results for a banned heart drug.
The WADA said they would take “whatever action necessary” in response to the allegations.
“What I can say right now is that at every stage, WADA followed the whole due process and diligently investigated every line of inquiry in this matter,” WADA president Witold Banka told an online news conference.
Last week, reports emerged that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for performance-enhancing trimetazidine (TMZ) ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
In the aftermath of the development, the United States Anti-Doping Agency's (USADA) Travis Tygart reacted sharply.
Tygart alleged that the WADA and Chinese anti-doping agency “secretly, until now, swept these positives under the carpet” and called the situation a “potential cover-up”.
The tainted swimmers were allowed to compete after the WADA accepted China's findings that the swimmers had ingested it unwittingly from food during a meet in late 2020 and early 2021.
Several Chinese swimmers won medals, including gold, at the Tokyo Olympics, and many are set to compete at the Paris Olympics which will kick off in July.
China, meanwhile, termed media reports about WADA's decision “fake news”.
“The relevant reports are fake news and not factual,” said foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.
“I believe you will also have noted that the World Anti-Doping Agency has put out a very clear response,” Wang said.
