July 28, 2024
NPR reporting – After competing in the Olympic 400-meter freestyle final, Chinese swimmer Fei Liwei dismissed concerns about a doping scandal involving his national team, asserting that their results were due to hard work and training.
Fei, one of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2021, emphasized the team’s compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Despite the positive tests, WADA accepted China’s explanation of accidental contamination and did not conduct an independent investigation, allowing the athletes to compete.
Two other Chinese swimmers from the 2021 scandal won a bronze medal in the women’s 4×100 freestyle relay at the current Olympics, but did not attend a post-event press conference.
This absence and the broader controversy have drawn international scrutiny, particularly from the U.S., which is investigating WADA’s handling of the case. The U.S. probes have elicited strong reactions from international sports officials and Chinese media, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) warning that Salt Lake City could lose the 2034 Winter Games if U.S. investigations persist.
WADA President Witold Banka criticized the U.S., suggesting American athletes should face more drug testing. He argued that U.S. actions aimed to assert jurisdiction over global anti-doping decisions, while Chinese media alleged that their athletes were unfairly targeted with aggressive testing.
The U.S. Congress and the Justice Department remain firm in their inquiries, with U.S. officials, including Travis Tygart of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, accusing WADA of a coverup and calling for transparency in the case. The U.S. lawmakers expressed disappointment in the IOC’s stance, emphasizing the need for accountability in ensuring clean sport.
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