Twenty-Three Chinese Swimmers Cleared To Compete At Tokyo Olympics Where Some Won Gold Despite Positive Drug Tests: Reports
Twenty-three Chinese swimmers – some of whom went on to win gold – were cleared to compete at the Tokyo Olympics despite testing positive for trimetazidine because World Aquatics – then FINA – and the World Anti-Doping Agency agreed with Chinese anti-doping authorities that the tests had been contaminated, reports say.
Reports in the Daily Telegraph in Sydney said the swimmers tested positive for the heart medication that acts as a stimulant at a domestic meet months before the start of the Games.
Sun Yang also tested positive for trimetazidine in 2014 for which he was handed a backdated three-month ban as did Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva who was suspended for four years.
China won six medals at Tokyo in 2021 including three golds courtesy of Zhang Yufei (200 fly), Wang Shun (200IM) and the women’s 4×2 with whom Zhang won her second title in one session with the quartet setting a world record.
Swimming World wrote on Friday that American swimmers were told of doping violations by Chinese athletes who competed in Tokyo.
According to reports, Chinese anti-doping authorities found the results of the tests were Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) but cleared the swimmers without any penalties claiming the samples were flagged as positive as a result of contamination at the camp.
The Daily Telegraph said WADA and World Aquatics — then FINA — were notified of the positive samples but both organisations agreed the results of the tests were caused by contamination and did not sanction any of the athletes who tested positive.
On Saturday morning, German investigative broadcasters ARD and the New York Times – both of which had undertaken independent investigations – named swimmers they claim tested positive, including Zhang.
They said the athletes were cleared following a Chinese investigation which found traces of the substance in the kitchen of the hotel where they stayed in January 2021.
The findings were accepted by WADA and the decision not to proceed further with a violation of the doping rules with World Aquatics also
World Aquatics released a statement to Swimming World, which read:
“Due to confidentiality provisions consistent with the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Standard for Results Management, World Aquatics is limited in terms of what it may comment on either in detail or at all.
“With regard to the Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) you have referred to, they were carefully considered by the FINA Doping Control Review Board.
“Materials relating to the source of the AAFs were subject to independent expert scrutiny retained by FINA. World Aquatics is confident that these AAFs were handled diligently and professionally, and in accordance with all applicable anti-doping regulations, including the World Anti-Doping Code.
“World Aquatics remains committed to the protection of clean athletes, the promotion of clean sport and to actively contribute to these causes in partnership with organisations including the International Testing Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency.”
And WHY was TMZ in the kitchen at a training camp? What meals was it used for and why would it ever be allowed on training amp grounds? What was its purpose in the kitchen?
What was the concentration of it and does it meet the threshold?