In the wake of reports that 23 Chinese swimmers were allowed to compete in the Tokyo Games despite testing positive for a banned substance, World Aquatics has established a five-person anti-doping audit review committee. The committee, comprised of Miguel Cardenal, Ken Lalo, Annabelle Williams, Florent Manaudou, and Fernando Possenti, aims to improve the federation’s anti-doping review and decision-making process and enhance its ability to handle similar cases in the future.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) acknowledged that it could not refute the China Anti-Doping Agency’s claim that the swimmers unintentionally took a heart medication called trimetazidine (TMZ). In response to this situation, Wada has initiated an independent investigation led by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier to scrutinize its handling of the case. The findings are anticipated within two months and aim to address any concerns about the anti-doping movement and assure athletes heading into the Paris Olympic Games.
Meanwhile, US athlete representative organizations have called for an independent investigation, while International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has expressed his trust in Wada’s integrity. In a letter to member federations, World Aquatics expressed their commitment to improving the anti-doping review and decision-making process within the federation. The goal is to learn from the situation and enhance the organization’s ability to handle similar cases in the future, ensuring athletes’ confidence in the system remains strong.