USA Swimming, Swimming Australia Respond to Chinese Doping Revelation

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Photo Courtesy: Andy Ross

USA Swimming, Swimming Australia Respond to Chinese Doping Revelation

USA Swimming and Swimming Australia Saturday night released responses to WADA’s revelation that it allowed Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a performance enhancer to compete at the Tokyo Olympics.

Swimming Australia was brief Saturday night, saying it has opened an inquiry with World Aquatics.

“At this stage we are making our own inquiries with World Aquatics, until we know more, we aren’t in a position to comment,” said the governing body of the nation that collected nine gold and 21 total medals at the Tokyo Olympics.

Australia later updated that with a fuller comment from CEO Rob Woodhouse, expressing his disappointment in the news and his organization’s continued commitment to clean sport.

“Our expectations are high when it comes to advocating clean sport. Right now, we are 50 days out from our Olympic Trials and less than 100 days out from the Opening Ceremony – and we welcome the stringent testing our athletes face to ensure a level playing field.

“As an organisation we will always advocate for fairness and integrity, and we believe that all athletes deserve the right to earn success by their own hard work, effort, and dedication. Clean sport is about respect for your competitors. It’s about respect for yourself. It’s about respect for sport.”

USA Swimming also commented.

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— USA Swimming (@USASwimming) April 21, 2024

From the U.S. statement:

“USA Swimming remains steadfastly committed to clean sport at all levels of competition. Our elite athletes, who are tested regularly and whose everyday lives and training are impacted by stringent testing protocols, deserve a level playing field. We uphold the highest standards of anti-doping policies by facilitating strict USADA testing at domestic competitions and by proactively offering education and support so that all American athletes understand the tenets of clean sport. USA Swimming is extremely disappointed to hear the allegations reported, and looks forward to swift action and resolution.”

The U.S. led the Tokyo medal table with 11 golds and 30 total medals. China collected three gold medals and total.

As many as 23 Chinese athletes tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine in early 2021. No swimmers were suspended, even provisionally, and the World Anti-Doping Agency verified by its own investigation the determination of the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency that the positive tests were the result of widespread contamination. The athletes were permitted to swim at the Tokyo Olympics later that year without restrictions and without WADA or World Aquatics disclosing the positive tests.

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Bob

12 days ago

Yeah, sure, nearly the entire team were accidentally “contaminated” with a medically-related substance that has beneficial effects, one that doesn’t just lie around, in amounts large enough to detect. Communists and sport-enhancing drugs go together like Trump and lies.

Kanga1

11 days ago

Reply to Bob

Spot on mate!
Trump speaks and nothing but Lies ensue! That and threats!
Same with the Chinese Commies!

Kanga1

11 days ago

China certainly looks like the new East Germans to me!
Where in the 90’s they so obviously doped their gorilla like female swimmers they’re more subtle today. Excersing unparalleled influence over WADA and Fina to ignore their own processes by following whatever benefits Beijing propaganda (Olympic Gold) the most.