At the COVID-delayed 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, 23 Chinese swimmers who had tested positive for the illegal performance-enhancing substance trimetazidine were allowed to participate by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Some won medals as WADA failed to intervene despite China's anti-doping entity delaying its reporting on the tainted samples. WADA never opened an investigation despite clear evidence of cheating and an attempted cover-up — conveniently after taking a suspicious amount of money from the Chinese government.
Now, U.S. lawmakers are demanding action from the Biden administration and the International Olympic Committee ahead of this year's Summer Games in Paris. In letters to the DOJ and IOC, leaders of the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the United States and the Chinese Communist Party seek an investigation of the "troubling" scandal.
Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) — along with Reps. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and Rep. Andre Carson (D-IN) — cited recent reporting on the money flowing from China to WADA in their letter to the Department of Justice:
"[T]he two years before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) signed off on clearing 23 Chinese swimmers of intentionally taking performance enhancers, [the Chinese] government contributed nearly $2 million above its yearly requirements to WADA programs.” Antidoping officials from around the world—including from the United States—provided WADA with evidence showing doping by Chinese swimmers and a cover-up by authorities. Still, WADA refused to open up an independent review—relying on an investigation conducted by Chinese authorities—and held no swimmers accountable.
The lawmakers noted that the scandal "raises serious legal, ethical, and competitive concerns and may constitute a broader state-sponsored strategy by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to unfairly compete at the Olympic Games in ways Russia has previously done," including ahead of 2014's Winter Games in Sochi.
Before 2021 Tokyo Olympics, 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for doping.
— Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (@committeeonccp) May 23, 2024
Somehow they were allowed to compete.
Yesterday, we demanded that the @FBI open an investigation into Chinese state-sponsored doping ahead of the Paris Summer Olympics. pic.twitter.com/9O0al9nayD
In response to Russian doping, the United States enacted the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act of 2019 "to impose criminal sanctions on certain persons involved in international doping fraud conspiracies, to provide restitution for victims of such conspiracies, and to require sharing of information with the United States Anti-Doping Agency to assist its fight against doping."
"It is imperative to assess whether these alleged doping practices were state-sponsored, which could warrant further diplomatic measures by the United States and the international community," lawmakers emphasized. "Furthermore, with less than 100 days until the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, understanding the full scope of the scandal is critical in ensuring our U.S. athletes are competing in a fair competition."
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