WADA cleared of showing favouritism to Chinese swimmers

The World Anti-Doping Agency did not mishandle or show favouritism in the case of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for banned substances and were cleared to compete in the Tokyo Olympics, according to an independent investigation.

A report by Swiss prosecutor and lead investigator Eric Cottier found there was nothing in the file to suggest WADA in any way favoured the 23 swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a medication that increases blood flow to the heart.

The swimmers were cleared by a Chinese investigation which said they were inadvertently exposed to the drug through contamination. The report determined the swimmers were staying at a hotel where traces of TMZ were discovered in the kitchen.

WADA said they had no evidence to challenge China’s findings and that external counsel had advised against appealing them.

Cottier’s investigation reached a similar conclusion, finding no irregularities on the part of WADA’s review of the China Anti-Doping Agency decision and that they had covered all relevant issues in determining whether or not to appeal the decision.

“All the elements taken into consideration by WADA, whether they come from the file produced by CHINADA with its decision or from the investigation procedures that it carried out, show the decision not to appeal to be reasonable, both from the point of view of the facts and the applicable rules,” wrote Cottier in his report.