Swimming: WADA did not mishandle China doping case, investigator says

PARIS (Kyodo) — The World Anti-Doping Agency said Tuesday an independent prosecutor has backed the agency’s handling of a case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who failed doping tests in early 2021 yet were allowed to continue competing.

In the agency’s interim report, the Swiss prosecutor chosen by WADA to conduct the probe, Eric Cottier, concluded there is no evidence the agency showed favoritism toward China in its handling of the case. At the Tokyo Olympics, China won six swimming medals, three of which were gold.

The case has caused an uproar in the global swimming community, with U.S. anti-doping authorities and several high-profile active and retired athletes, including legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps, the loudest voices.

“Mr. Cottier had access to all elements that he needed to reach his conclusions that WADA showed no bias towards China and that its decision not to appeal the Chinese swimming case was ‘indisputably reasonable’ based on the evidence,” the agency’s president Witold Banka said.

Chinese authorities have claimed the swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine, a medication that increases blood flow to the heart and limits rapid changes in blood pressure, after inadvertently being exposed to the banned substance through contamination.

Eleven of the 23 have been selected for the Paris Olympics, which start later this month.

“Despite our skepticism, a thorough review of all the verifiable facts of the case revealed no evidence to challenge the contamination scenario,” WADA said.

Cottier plans to complete his final report in the coming weeks.

Last week, the New York Times reported that the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Justice Department have opened a criminal investigation into how anti-doping authorities and sports officials allowed the Chinese swimmers to escape punishment and win a slew of medals in Japan.