Paris 2024: Two Chinese Swimmers Cleared After 2022 Positive Tests

Two Chinese swimmers, one of whom is set to compete in the Paris Olympics, tested positive for doping in 2022 but were cleared by Chinese authorities, according to a New York Times report on Tuesday that cited anonymous sources.

This report comes in the wake of a significant controversy involving 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) at a domestic competition in late 2020 and early 2021 before the Tokyo Games. These swimmers were cleared, with food contamination cited as the cause for the positive tests.

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has accused the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of covering up the issue, escalating the dispute. WADA has countered that USADA’s criticism is politically motivated.

In its latest report, the New York Times indicated that Chinese authorities determined a steroid was ingested accidentally when the two swimmers ate hamburgers in Beijing, with only ‘trace amounts’ detected, which they claimed was consistent with food contamination rather than intentional doping.

One of the swimmers was also involved in the earlier case of the 23 swimmers.

WADA responded to the article, stating that this latest case was part of a broader series of incidents that included a shooter and a BMX rider, who all tested positive for metandienone in late 2022 and early 2023.

“Upon notification, the athletes were all immediately provisionally suspended, pending investigation, and remained so until late 2023 when the investigation concluded. Therefore, in the case of the two swimmers, they were suspended for more than one year,” WADA said.

WADA added that the provisional suspension, imposed on November 3, 2022, was “with the view to asserting a four-year period of ineligibility before a CHINADA anti-doping tribunal.”

However, when similar cases involving the shooter and BMX rider, neither of whom are part of the Paris Olympics, surfaced, CHINADA investigated possible meat contamination.

“The investigation by CHINADA included testing hundreds of meat samples from various sources, with dozens revealing positive results for metandienone,” WADA stated.

The agency noted that CHINADA also analyzed supplements used by the athletes and conducted hair tests, which were negative.

Both swimmers provided negative doping control samples in the days before and after the positive result, WADA added.

“Following its investigation, CHINADA concluded that the four cases were most likely linked to meat contamination and, in late 2023, closed the cases without asserting a violation, with the athletes having remained provisionally suspended throughout that time,” the statement said.

WADA reviewed the cases thoroughly and decided not to challenge CHINADA’s ruling at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

In 2024, WADA launched an investigation to “assess the circumstances, scale, and risk of meat contamination with metandienone in China and other countries,” which is ongoing.

The New York Times reported that a member of the International Testing Agency (ITA), who reviewed the case, argued that World Aquatics should have appealed the Chinese decision to clear the swimmers.

A spokesperson for World Aquatics stated, “It would not be appropriate for World Aquatics to comment on this case in detail, but World Aquatics can confirm that it never received any recommendation from the ITA to appeal the case.”

The paper cited the ITA as denying they had made such a recommendation.

WADA reiterated their stance that politics was influencing the criticism of their handling of the Chinese cases.

“The politicization of Chinese swimming continues with this latest attempt by the media in the United States to imply wrongdoing on the part of WADA and the broader anti-doping community,” WADA said.