Aquatics GB have raised serious alarm bells lately, following the news of 23 Chinese swimmers testing positive for a prohibited drug before the Tokyo Olympics. Even though these swimmers were allowed to compete, the incident has left many in shock.
The drug in question? Trimetazidine (TMZ) – a heart medication that was found in all the swimmers’ system seven months earlier during a training camp. The startling revelation, however, is that the authorities concluded the swimmers took the drug by accident, a verdict that has come under intense scrutiny.
Who’s behind the uproar?
Aquatics GB – previously known as British Swimming – and the entity is deeply worried about the impact of such happenings on the credibility of sports. They also voiced their concern about the possible breach of trust and vowed to follow up on any additional updates.
Where did this information come from? An article in the New York Times, in collaboration with German broadcaster ARD.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) confirmed that they were notified of the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency’s (Chinada) decision to not penalize the swimmers. As per Chinada’s report, the swimmers were all lodging at the same hotel and TMZ traces were found in the kitchen, extraction unit above the hall, and the drainage units.
Wada couldn’t dispute Chinada’s claim of accidental ingestion due to contamination and didn’t oppose Chinada’s decision.
The outcome? The 30-strong Chinese swimming team bagged six medals, including three golds, at the Tokyo Olympics.
Travis Tygart – the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) CEO – condemned Wada and Chinada for trying to hide the positive tests, a claim Wada has strongly rebuffed, terming them as false and defamatory.
Aquatics GB emphasized every athlete’s right to compete on a level playing field, stressing on the commitment to clean sport. They expressed their support for a comprehensive and regular testing process leading to the Paris 2024 Olympics to ensure fair competition.
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The dispute between Usada and Wada escalated with Usada calling for a complete revamp of Wada, accusing it of betraying clean athletes. For athletes and the public to trust the global anti-doping system before the 2024 Paris Olympics, Usada is urging the appointment of an independent prosecutor to scrutinize the entire case file of the 23 positive tests to ensure justice.