No Impropriety in WADA’s Assessment of China’s Decision in Swimmers Doping Row

A report shared by an independent investigator appointed by WADA found no undue interference or other impropriety in WADA’s assessment of the decision by CHINADA not to bring forward anti-doping rule violations against 23 Chinese swimmers.

The swimmers had tested positive for a Prohibited Substance, trimetazidine (TMZ), ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. However, following an internal procedure involving investigations and expert appraisals, the China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) decided not to consider these as Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRV) but ‘environmental contamination’. The athletes had apparently picked it up at a restaurant or hotel where they were hosted during the national competitions, and the amount detected was incapable of making any difference to their performance.

WADA found CHINADA’s contamination scenario reasonable and decided not to challenge it via appeal. The International Swimming Federation (FINA, now World Aquatics) also came to the same conclusion after an expert assessment. However, there were allegations against WADA of covering up the doping case out of bias towards China.

The investigator concluded that there was no irregularity in WADA’s review of CHINADA’s decision. The evidence presented in support of the scenario did not meet the required standard of proof, i.e., the balance of probabilities under Art. 3.1 of the World Anti-Doping Code.