Twenty-three Chinese language swimmers got the OK to compete within the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 regardless of testing constructive for trimetazidine, a banned substance used as a coronary heart medicine.
Nonetheless, the World Anti-Doping Company mentioned the swimmers’ exams had come up constructive on account of “inadvertently being uncovered to the substance via contamination,” a declare initially introduced by the Chinese language Doping Company.
With the Paris Video games’ opening ceremony later this week, it is the primary Olympics for the reason that scandal, and adorned United States swimmer Katie Ledecky is skeptical.
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Katie Ledecky of the US after successful the ladies’s 800-meter freestyle closing on the 2024 U.S. Olympic Staff Swimming Trials at Lucas Oil Stadium June 22, 2024, in Indianapolis. (Al Bello/Getty Pictures)
“I hope everybody right here goes to be competing clear this week. However what actually issues is also, have been they coaching clear?” Ledecky mentioned Wednesday. “Hopefully, that is been the case. Hopefully, there’s been even testing all over the world.”
There may be an ongoing U.S. investigation of the suspected doping by the Chinese language swimmers, drawing the ire of the Worldwide Olympic Committee. Whereas awarding the 2034 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake Metropolis Wednesday, the IOC pushed Utah officers to do what they will to cease the FBI probe.
“I feel everybody’s heard what the athletes assume. They need transparency. They need additional solutions to the questions that also stay. At this level, we’re right here to race. We will race whoever’s within the lanes subsequent to us. We’re not those paid to do the testing, so we hope that the folks which can be observe their very own guidelines. That applies now and into the longer term.”
The WADA mentioned there had been “deceptive info” spreading within the information, which led to its response. It mentioned it had been given a tip by the U.S. Anti-Doping Company as early as 2020 — earlier than this case arose — about allegations of doping cover-ups in China however that USADA by no means adopted up with proof.
China celebrates its gold medal throughout the medal ceremony for the ladies’s 4x200m freestyle relay throughout the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer season Video games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. (Rob Schumacher/USA Right now Sports activities)
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Nonetheless, the WADA says it “reviewed this case totally” and “concluded that there was no concrete foundation to problem the asserted contamination.”
The company says it “adopted all due course of and diligently investigated each lead and line of inquiry on this matter.”
The 30-member Chinese language swim workforce gained six medals in Tokyo, together with three golds. Lots of the athletes nonetheless compete for China and are anticipated to swim on the Paris Olympics.
China’s relay workforce celebrates a victory within the girls’s 4x200m freestyle relay closing throughout the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Summer season Video games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre. (Rob Schumacher/USA Right now Sports activities)
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Ledecky is a seven-time gold medalist who might be competing in her fourth Olympic Video games.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
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