China, WADA also Calls it Due Process
China: “Tokyo Olympics Doping Cover-Up is Fake News”… WADA also Calls it “Due Process”
American and Australian media raise the issue of "23 Chinese swimmers testing positive for doping just before the Tokyo Olympics"
China refuted allegations raised by American and Australian media that "the Chinese swimming team attempted to cover up doping tests ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics," calling it "fake news."
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) also said, "The Chinese swimming team's permission to participate in the Tokyo Olympics followed legal procedures," and added, "Even if the same issue arises again, we will reach the same conclusion."
The Associated Press reported on the 23rd, "Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin claimed at a briefing on the 22nd that 'the suspicions raised by the Western media are fake news based on false information and statements.'" 카지노사이트
According to reports, Spokesperson Wang said, "The athletes in question consumed food without knowing about the contaminated food, and there was no negligence on the part of the Chinese swimmers involved, so they participated in the Tokyo Olympics as normal."
He added, "The Chinese government has a firm zero tolerance for doping."
“We are maintaining our position and strictly comply with WADA regulations” he said.
WADA also said on the 23rd, "At the time, the urine samples of Chinese athletes were contaminated.
Although we were unable to dispatch our investigators to China at the time due to the aftermath of the novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19), the China Anti-Doping Commission (CHINADA) followed appropriate procedures."
“WADA found no grounds to deny the Chinese authorities’ findings,” he said.
On the 20th, the Australian newspaper Herald Sun reported that "23 Chinese swimmers who participated in the Tokyo Olympics participated normally in the competition despite testing positive for doping seven months before the opening."
The banned substance that athletes tested positive for at the time was trimetazidine, which was the basis for the disciplinary action of Chinese swimming star Sun Yang and Russian figure skating star Kamila Valieva.
Trimetazidine is used medically to treat angina pectoris, and is known to have the effect of facilitating oxygen supply to the body by increasing blood flow.
Because of its side effects, WADA designated trimetazidine as a banned drug.
After the Herald Sun's first report, the American daily New York Times (NYT) also published a long article.
The NYT said, "23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine, but China's top officials concluded that the athletes were 'not guilty' of doping charges and sent them to the Olympics.
Although many doping experts raised the issue, WADA “made a decision favorable to China,” he said.
According to the NYT, CHINADA reported to WADA, "The athletes ingested very small amounts of banned substances without their knowledge.
It appears that the trimetazidine ingredient entered the body while eating old food."
Several experts within WADA and several officials, including USADA, argued that "the athletes' qualifications should be temporarily suspended and a further investigation should be initiated.
The players' identities should also be disclosed," but WADA said, "The players do not comply with the doping regulations."
“There is insufficient evidence to hold the athletes accountable,” he said, allowing Chinese athletes to participate in the Tokyo Olympics.
During this process, CHINADA reportedly added an explanation that "the players' urine samples were contaminated and tested positive for banned substances."
“We also received pharmacokinetic and metabolic information from the manufacturer of trimetazidine to assess the validity of the contamination scenario presented to WADA,” said WADA senior director Olivier Ravine.
“There was no evidence to refute China’s explanation.”
“There were no problems with WADA’s decision-making process,” she said.
The World Aquatics Federation also defended the Chinese swimming community, saying, "We believe that China has carried out its work in accordance with the doping regulations."
The International Testing Agency (ITA), a doping testing agency, said, "We are conducting an investigation into this incident."
NYT said, “Some of the Chinese athletes who participated in the Tokyo Olympics despite positive doping tests are expected to also participate in the Paris Olympics, which opens in July this year.”
“China has had doping problems in other sports in the past, and has recently committed doping in swimming as well.”
“Suspicions have been raised several times,” he said, casting a look of suspicion.
Public opinion toward China is cold.
The Associated Press said, "China has donated $2 million to WADA in recent years," and commented that "political judgment" may have intervened in the participation of Chinese swimmers who tested positive for doping before the Games in the Tokyo Olympics.
