WADA To Launch Independent Inquiry Into The Go-Free 23 Chinese Doping Positives
The World Anti-Doping Agency – WADA – is to launch an independent review over its handling of the go-free 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance but were not called to account after Chinada decided the adverse findings came down to a mass-contamination event at “no fault” of the athlete.
The investigation will be led by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, a former attorney general of the canton of Vaud. WADA said he will have access to all files and documents related to the case and will be free to consult any independent experts he chooses.
Cottier will begin his work in the coming days and is expected to deliver his findings within two months, around a month to go before the opening ceremony at the Paris Olympic Games.
“WADA’s integrity and reputation is under attack,” WADA president Witold Banka said in a statement. “In the past few days, WADA has been unfairly accused of bias in favor 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.”
Calls for an independent investigation have grown since New Corp in Australia broke the story of the go-free 23 just ahead of the ARD Doping TV team at the German broadcaster and the New York Times ran the story last Saturday.
The swimmers tested positive in January 2021 for the banned drug trimetazidine, a heart boosted that accounted for the suspensions of Chinese swimmer Sun Yang* (three months) in 2014 and Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva* (four years) this year.
ARD’s “Doping Top Secret – The China Files” – Parts 1-4 – Watch Why WADA U-Turn Is Urgent
SOS Analysis
The ARD China Files: Part 1 – SOS Analysis: Spies, Spice & Mass Contamination
The ARD China Files: Part 2 – SOS Analysis: On The Trail Of An Existential Precedent?
The ARD China Files: Part 3 – SOS Analysis: Lab Trials For TMZ & Testing Timeframes
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In addition to the independent prosecutor, WADA said it will send a compliance audit team to China to assess the state of its anti-doping program and will invite independent auditors from the broader anti-doping community to join the mission.
“While not one shred of evidence has been presented to support any of the allegations made against WADA, we wish to deal with the matter as quickly and as comprehensively as possible so that the matter is appropriately handled in advance of the upcoming Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games,” said WADA director general Olivier Niggli.