SPORT IRELAND BREAK SILENCE ON CHINESE DOPING SCANDAL

SPORT IRELAND HAVE broken their silence on the Chinese doping scandal that has rocked the world of swimming with less than 100 days to go to the Paris Olympics.

The New York Times and Germany’s ARD revealed on 20 April that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned substance TMZ in early 2021, seven months before the Tokyo Olympics, but were cleared to compete at the Games following an investigation by Chinese authorities that was not challenged by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA.)

The Chinese authorities claim the swimmers did not knowingly ingest TMZ, saying that their food was accidentally contaminated by the substance in the kitchen of a hotel in which the swimmers were staying. 

While the UK and US agencies swiftly emerged as vocal critics of WADA’s handling of the case, Sport Ireland – who oversee Ireland’s anti-doping programme – did not follow suit by releasing a public statement on the matter.

Following a request for comment submitted yesterday by The 42, however, Sport Ireland say they are “very concerned” about the case, specifically around the scope of the initial Chinese investigation into the positive tests and why WADA’s entire board were not informed about the issue.  

Following an outcry from several anti-doping bodies, WADA have appointed a prosecutor to investigate their handling of the case. 

Many of China’s best swimmers were staying in the Huayang Holiday Hotel in Shijiazhuang across the final days of 2020 and first days of 2021, around a swim meet. It was during this period that 23 separate tests showing traces of TMZ were returned. 

The subsequent Chinese investigation into the failed tests, launched two months later, found traces of TMZ on a spice jar, cooktop vent and sink drain in the kitchen of the hotel, which was cited as an explanation for accidental contamination. 

The investigation did not identify the original source of the drug, which is only available in pill form and via a doctor’s prescription.  

This explanation by Chinese investigators was accepted and not challenged by WADA. 

The swimmers were therefore cleared to compete at the Olympics, and the story was not made public until the reporting led by the New York Times and ARD.  Several of the athletes who tested positive went on to win medals at the Tokyo Games, including three golds. 

Travis Tygart, the head of the US anti-doping agency (USADA), reacted to the story’s publication by accusing WADA of delivering “what appears to be a devastating stab in the back of clean athletes”.

USADA have remained fiercely critical of WADA’s handling of the case in the 13 days since the story broke, issuing a lengthy rebuttal to a document published by WADA explaining their stance.

Among USADA’s complaints are the fact that the Chinese swimmers were not provisionally suspended and the positive tests not made public, as the relevant national anti-doping agency are required to do under WADA rules. 

USADA and the UK anti-doping agency expressed their concern about the issue shortly after it came to light, and called for an independent investigation into WADA’s handling of the case. WADA have now appointed Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier to lead that investigation. 

Sport Ireland say their CEO, Dr. Una May, raised concerns about the case on Tuesday at a meeting of the Ad Hoc European Committee for WADA, a body which co-ordinates the anti-doping positions of EU member states. Sport Ireland say that Dr. May sought “clarifications on the details of the case, the scope of the investigation and why the board of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was not made aware of it at the time.” 

Sport Ireland say they also relayed their concerns to the board of the Institute of National Anti-Doping Organisations (iNADO), a body which represents 62 national anti-doping bodies across the world. The body became operational in 2012, thanks in part to a multi-year financial grant by WADA. 

iNADO met with representatives of WADA on Tuesday, to whom they submitted a list of questions which Sport Ireland say includes their concerns. Sport Ireland did not respond to our request for this list of questions. 

iNADO have requested another meeting with WADA next week. 

“Sport Ireland is very concerned about reports regarding the 23 Chinese swimmers who recorded positive doping tests in 2021 ahead of the Tokyo Olympic Games”, read the statement released to The 42. 

“Sport Ireland wants to reassure Irish athletes and the public of our continuing commitment to ensuring the highest international anti-doping standards are maintained, and that the World Anti-Doping Code is upheld.

“Irish athletes are regularly tested and held to the highest level of accountability through Sport Ireland’s Anti-Doping programme. Clean participation is essential, and the global system must be fair and transparent for athletes to have faith in it.

“Sport Ireland will continue to engage with WADA and our counterparts across other National Anti-Doping Organisations to monitor the situation.” 

Meanwhile, Conor Ferguson, an Irish swimmer who hopes to secure qualification for the Paris Olympics at the Irish national trials later this month, says he is choosing to ignore the details and potential implications of the controversy. 

“From an athlete’s point of view, I can’t control what these guys do”, he told The 42. ”I don’t know what is going on, I have to focus on myself. I could get frustrated with what I read, I could delve into it. But right now I just have to focus on myself and what I can do.” 

“People will do their internal investigations so my opinion is just leave it to the professionals as that’s all I can do. I am not going to sit here and, like, I could quite easily get annoyed about anything I read, but until the professionals come in and carry out their investigations I can’t do anything about it. I just have to sit back and focus on the task I have to hand.” 

Asked if he has confidence in the professionals conducting this investigation, Ferguson replied, “I have to.” 

Jon Rudd, performance director at Swim Ireland, said earlier this week that he hoped the investigation would be thorough. 

“It’s ever so difficult to decide where responsibility and blame lies”, he said. “There’s questions around WADA’s handling of this and how they potentially have taken the word of the Chinese anti-doping agency as read.

“It’s unclear as to where World Aquatics sit in terms of their responsibility but what it has done is certainly hurt our sport at such a close point to the Olympic Games.

“I sincerely hope that this is investigated thoroughly and independently and that we get an outcome that satisfies athletes, coaches and their entourages around the world because at the moment it does seem to be an unsatisfactory situation.”

2024-05-03T05:10:17Z dg43tfdfdgfd