World Aquatics Executive Director to Appear Before Congress in Chinese Doping Investigation
World Aquatics executive director Brent Nowicki has been ordered to testify in a U.S. criminal investigation into the handling of Chinese doping tests.
The Associated Press reported the news on Thursday that Nowicki has been subpoenaed to “schedule a meeting with the government, which, in all likelihood will obviate the need for testimony before a Grand Jury.”
World Aquatics has largely escaped scrutiny in the Chinese doping scandal, in which 23 swimmers tested positive a total of 28 times at a training camp in Hangzhou in early 2021. Those swimmers were cleared in April by China’s anti-doping authority, which ruled their tests for trimetazidine were the result of environmental contamination, and the World Anti-Doping Agency assented to that decision in June. Many of those swimmers competed at the Tokyo Olympics, and up to a dozen could swim at the Paris Olympics that being later this month.
In the United States, Congress has launched investigations into the matter, including testimony last week from swimmers on Capitol Hill. In May, the select committee on China in the American House of Representative asked the FBI and Justice Department to look into the case. The US Anti-Doping Agency and its head, Travis Tygart, have not been shy about their condemnation of WADA’s handling of the case. WADA has steadfastly argued that it followed its procedures in the name of sporting justice and appointed an independent counsel to review the case.
Nowicki, who is American, was named the chief executive officer of World Aquatics in June 2021 under president Husain Al-Musallam. He was a managing counsel and head of the Anti-Doping Division at the Court of Arbitration for Sport for eight years, including in Jan. 2021 when the Chinese swimmers tested positive en masse.
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
- Katie Ledecky on Anti-Doping System: Faith at ‘All-Time Low’ (Video)
- Qin Haiyang, Wang Shun, Yang Junxuan Tested Positive for Clenbuterol Prior to 2021 Positives
- ‘Extremely Frustrating’ and ‘Disappointing:’ Lilly King, Other Americans Share Displeasure at Chinese Doping Controversies (VIDEO)
- Michael Phelps, Allison Schmitt Testify Before Congressional Subcommittee on Anti-Doping Measures, WADA