In response to the news 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’s goal is to improve the understanding of the anti-doping review process within the federation and learn from this experience to better equip World Aquatics for the future.
The China Anti-Doping Agency (Chinada) claims that the swimmers unknowingly ingested a heart medication called trimetazidine (TMZ), which is considered a performance-enhancing drug. Despite Wada’s efforts to refute these claims, it was unable to do so conclusively.
The committee members are Miguel Cardenal, Ken Lalo, Annabelle Williams, Florent Manaudou, and Fernando Possenti. Their review and report are expected to be completed by next month. Meanwhile, Wada has launched an independent review into the handling of this case, led by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier. The findings of this investigation are anticipated to be delivered within two months.
Key bodies representing US athletes have called for a truly independent investigation into the matter. However, International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has expressed full confidence in Wada’s handling of the situation. The IOC has also stated that it will take all necessary steps to ensure that such incidents do not occur again in future Olympic Games.
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