LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) expressed its “full confidence” in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Thursday after a report said it had not mishandled the case of Chinese swimmers cleared to compete after testing positive for a banned drug.

“Based on this report, the IOC reaffirms its full confidence in WADA and its leadership, who have implemented a number of initiatives that have strengthened the system in recent years,” read the IOC statement.

The IOC also said WADA should receive unqualified support from its stakeholders.

Travis Tygart, head of the US Anti-Doping Agency and a long-time critic of WADA, has accused its president Witold Banka of orchestrating a cover-up in the case of the Chinese swimmers.

That claim was dismissed by Banka following the release of the report on Tuesday, telling AFP they were one of several “disgusting allegations” made about the case and adding that external lawyers were looking at the remarks.

The IOC — who partly fund WADA — called for calm to be restored and the global anti-doping body to be left alone to get on with its job.

“The IOC appeals to all stakeholders to respect the supreme authority of WADA in the fight against doping,” read the IOC statement.

“This respect forms the basis on which WADA was founded by the governments of the world and the Olympic Movement. This respect is essential for any fair international competition.”

The crisis arose when in April, the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD reported the swimmers had tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a banned heart medicine which can enhance performance, at a domestic competition in late 2020 and early 2021.

It was determined by Chinese anti-doping authorities they ingested the substance unwittingly from tainted food at their hotel and no action against them was warranted.

WADA accepted the argument of the Chinese authorities and did not sanction the swimmers.

Some of them went on to compete in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. Zhang Yufei won two golds and Wang Shun was also crowned Olympic champion.

Eleven of the swimmers have been selected for the Paris Olympics which start this month.

The case caused a global uproar, with US anti-doping authorities accusing WADA of a cover-up.

As a result, WADA set up an independent investigation overseen by retired Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, whose interim findings were released on Tuesday.

“There is nothing in the file — which is complete — to suggest that WADA showed favouritism or deference, or in any way favoured the 23 swimmers who tested positive for TMZ,” the report said.

Published in Dawn, July 12th, 2024