Adam Peaty Demands “Full Transparency” Amid Chinese Doping Controversy Before Eyeing Three-Peat(y) In Paris
Adam Peaty has called for “full transparency” and expressed his “disappointment” in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after Chinese athletes were cleared to compete at the Tokyo Olympics despite having tested positive for a banned substance.
Australia’s Daily Telegraph, the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD revealed 23 swimmers had tested positive for Trimetazidine at a domestic meet which ended on 3 January 2021, months before the Games which had been delayed because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
An investigation by the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) found the cause was contamination of a hotel kitchen, traced to spice containers and draining units.
CHINADA informed WADA they’d not be charging swimmers with anti-doping violations, ruling that contamination was the cause of the positive tests which WADA and World Aquatics found no ground to dispute.
No sanctions, no bans and no disclosure of the positive tests.
There’s been widespread anger in the aquatics world that shows no sign of subsiding with Travis Tygart, head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, demanding an investigation into what he called “a tragedy for clean athletes around the world.”
Adam Peaty: Photo Courtesy: AARON OKAYAMA
Peaty posted on social media hours after the news broke, asking “what happened to strict liability?” and questioning why the information wasn’t disclosed.
In a press conference on Monday, WADA general counsel Ross Wenzel said:
“Athletes from other countries that are competing against these athletes should not have concerns.
“These were athletes that, we have to assume, were innocently exposed to Trimetazidine contamination.”
If WADA hoped the explanation they offered would calm the situation, the effect was in fact the opposite.
Aquatics GB released a statement on Tuesday, expressing their “extreme concern,” saying they’ll be “monitoring any further updates and possible resolution closely.”
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Peaty backed the British governing body and asserted his position.
He said:
“I fully stand by what Aquatics GB said: their statement is very strong.
“For me I stand by what I said on Twitter about the lack of transparency from WADA.
“It’s not necessarily the country.
“As an athlete we all want to be treated fairly, we all want to be treated with full transparency and making sure that in those cases those results are not hidden and they’re not put under secrecy.
“That is where I stand on it and I think a lot of swimmers are obviously very disappointed in WADA.”
Looking to Paris and The Three-Peat(y)
While the doping controversy simmers on, Peaty is preparing for Paris where he’ll look to become only the second man to achieve the three-peat.
The 29-year-old won the 100m breaststroke at Rio 2016 and in Tokyo five years later.
Repeat the feat and he’ll join Michael Phelps in a club of just two men who’ve won the same event at three straight Olympics.
Phelps won the 200IM at four straight Games (2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016) as well as the 100 fly three times (2004, 2008 and 2012) en-route to his 23 Olympic titles.
Adam Peaty: Photo Courtesy: Aaron Okayama, Speedo
Peaty tops the rankings with his winning time of 57.94 at the Olympic trials in London earlier this month.
It was the 21st time he’d gone 57 with only Qin Haiyang – on three occasions – and Olympic silver medallist Arno Kamminga (twice) having also gone through the 58 barrier.
What is all the more remarkable is that the Briton has returned from physical and mental exhaustion, telling Swimming World last year that he’d considered quitting “a thousand times.”
Now he’s on the brink of more history having already become the first British swimmer to defend an Olympic swimming title.
Of what winning in Paris would mean in terms of his legacy, Peaty said:
“It does give me goosebumps thinking of it, any time I do think of it.
“I can’t get carried away…….
“At the same time not many people have done that at all: to be dominant in the same event in three Olympics in a row.
“People struggle on the first Olympics because it throws so many curveballs and so much pressure.
“I’ve never really seen it in a pressure way, I see it as an opportunity and this is probably the hardest time to win one with so many other distractions that are going on as we all are aware.
“If I’ve ever got a reason to do one, it’ll be this one but I have got to make sure I keep my emotions in check on that one and making sure that we are ticking off the process every day and then we’re using emotion when we need it.”
Read more:
- American Swimmers Told of Chinese Doping Violations at Tokyo Olympics
- 23 Chinese Swimmers Cleared To Compete At Tokyo Olympics Where Some Won Gold Despite Positive Drug Tests: Reports
- WADA Releases Statement on Chinese Doping Positives; Threatens Legal Action
- Column: Lack of Transparency in Chinese Doping Tests a Glaring Failure of Anti-Doping Authorities
- ‘What happened to strict liability?’ Adam Peaty Hits Back at WADA over Chinese Doping
- USADA CEO Travis Tygart Blasts WADA’s ‘Defense Tactics’ as It Threatens Legal Action
- USA Swimming, Swimming Australia Respond to Chinese Doping Revelation
- Column: As Chinese Doping Controversy Rages, Clean Swimmers Rightfully Angry About ‘Irreparable Damage’
- ‘We Would Do Exactly the Same Thing:’ WADA Answers Questions on Chinese Doping Case
- WADA Says ‘Athletes Should Not Have Concerns’ Over Chinese Doping Case
- Aquatics GB Respond To Chinese Doping Controversy
Firstly I certainly hope that its a ThreePeaty!
Like everyone I think its disgraceful the double standards the world swimming bodies show that benefit a dubious Chinese program.
Individual Western swimmers that are provisionally found to have positive results are immediately publicised and punished.
But Not so China.
Transparency and accountability for all equally!
China is fast becoming the new East Germany!
Realistically Adam Peaty can’t “demand” anything.