China's Controversial Selection: Swimmers Involved in Doping Scandal Headed to Paris.

Multi Sports Paris 2024 Olympics

Posted 2 months ago

China's Controversial Selection: Swimmers Involved in Doping Scandal Headed to Paris.

China has chosen eleven swimmers involved in a significant doping scandal to compete in the upcoming Paris Olympics next month.

Earlier this year, it was revealed that 23 members of China's swimming team were allowed to compete in the Tokyo Games in 2021 despite testing positive for a banned substance months before.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) couldn't disprove China Anti-Doping Agency's claim that the athletes had unknowingly taken heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ), which can enhance performance.

This sparked outrage from Western anti-doping agencies and athletes. The CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) suggested a cover-up, a claim Wada denied.

Now, a third of China's 31-member Olympic team includes swimmers previously reported to have failed drug tests. This situation could overshadow the Paris Games.

Usada's CEO commented, "This is the disaster we feared and why we called for a genuine, independent investigation into these hidden positive tests, especially since the statute of limitations hasn't expired."