‘Independent’ review in Chinese swimmers’ case
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has asked an independent prosecutor to review its handling of the case where 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a prescription heart drug.
The agency also said it would send a “compliance audit team” to China to “assess the current state of the country’s anti-doping programme” run by anti-doping body Chinada.
Wada has faced criticism since media reports last weekend that the swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine – which can enhance performance – ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, but were not sanctioned after the global body accepted the Chinese explanation that the case was caused by food contamination.
The head of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), Travis Tygart, has called the situation a “potential cover-up” and said the announcement of an independent investigation was “self-serving.”
Wada said it asked former Swiss public prosecutor Eric Cottier to review its handling of the case. “Wada’s integrity and reputation is under attack,” agency chief Witold Banka said.
“In the past few days, Wada has been unfairly accused of serious bias in favour of China by not appealing the Chinada case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“We continue to reject the false accusations and we are pleased to be able to put these questions into the hands of an experienced, respected and independent prosecutor.”
Wada said Cottier would be given “full and unfettered” access to all its files and documents on the case and added he was free to consult any independent experts as he saw fit. Cottier has been asked to evaluate if there was any bias shown towards China or “any undue interference or other impropriety” in the handling of the case.
The Swiss lawyer will also be asked to determine if the decision not to challenge or appeal against the verdict of Chinada, that the cases involved food contamination, was reasonable.
Cottier, who was attorney general of the canton of Vaud in Switzerland for 17 years before retiring in 2022 and had previously been a court judge, has been asked to deliver his findings in two months. The team going to China would also include “independent auditors from the broader anti-doping community”.
Wada said the visit was part of its regular compliance monitoring programme.
Usada attacked the Wada move, saying: “By calling this an ‘independent’ investigation, Wada leadership is trying to pull the wool over our eyes.
“Instead of Wada’s handpicked lawyer with a limited and self-serving scope of review, the world’s athletes deserve a truly independent review commission with a wide scope of review that is constituted with an independent athlete representative and impartial respected jurists with anti-doping experience appointed by government consensus.”*