WADA Cleared of Bias in Chinese Swimmers' Doping Case
An independent investigator has backed the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) handling of a controversial case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.
The swimmers were cleared by Chinese authorities, who claimed contamination in their hotel kitchen was responsible. WADA chose not to appeal this decision, sparking criticism from athletes and national anti-doping bodies.
Cottier finds no evidence of favouritism in WADA decision
Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, tasked with reviewing the case, stated that WADA's decision not to challenge China’s ruling was “reasonable” and found no evidence of favouritism.
However, Cottier criticised WADA for failing to address procedural lapses by the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA). He noted WADA’s "silence" in the face of rule violations but insisted there was no intentional bias.
WADA’s Director General Olivier Niggli said the report confirmed that WADA “followed the rules” and showed no bias toward China. He acknowledged, however, that there were lessons to be learned from the situation. Despite this, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and its CEO Travis Tygart were not satisfied with the findings.
Tygart stated that the report "validates our concerns and raises new questions that must be answered.”
Accidental contamination remains biggest controversy in the case
One of the key controversies in the case was CHINADA’s explanation that the swimmers were exposed to TMZ accidentally through contamination. WADA’s science department found this scenario plausible, though there remained doubts about whether contamination was the true cause.
Cottier highlighted WADA’s own chief scientist, Olivier Rabin, who expressed scepticism about the contamination theory, but chose not to challenge it due to a lack of solid evidence.
The case drew significant backlash when it was revealed by the media, rather than disclosed by WADA or CHINADA. Cottier noted that the secrecy around the case was unusual given its magnitude, involving 28 positive tests among 23 athletes. He recommended greater transparency in handling such significant cases in the future.
Despite the investigation’s conclusion, critics like Tygart continue to question whether the positive tests were truly due to contamination or intentional doping, leaving the controversy far from settled.
WADA has since set up a working group to address criticisms raised in Cottier’s report, focusing on record-keeping and clearer protocols for handling group contamination cases.
