Sporting world awaits bombshell review into Chinese doping saga that rocked swimming

It appears that the Chinese swimmers who tested positive to a banned substance prior to the Tokyo Olympic Games will not face any significant sanction.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Director General Olivier Niggli delivers a speech at the opening of the two-day annual symposium in Lausanne. Picture: Fabrice Coffrini / AFP

None of the 23 Chinese swimmers who escaped punishment after testing positive to the same performance-enhancing drug in 2021 will be stripped of any medals they have won or banned from competing at the Paris Olympics.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and World Aquatics will also be cleared of accusations they failed to follow the rules after they agreed with China’s explanation that the positive test results were all caused by accidental contamination.

But not all the authorities involved in the ongoing scandal will get off scot-free, because a list of major recommendations will also be proposed, designed in part to appease the global outcry and ensure any future cases are handled differently so there’s no hint of favouritism or cover up.

That, at least, is the universal expectation of all the key stakeholders now anxiously awaiting the release of the independent report into the Chinese swimming drugs saga that has divided the sports world in the lead-up to Paris.

Overseen by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, the two-month review has now been completed and while the details remain under wraps, WADA revealed to this masthead that the findings will be made public any day now.

“The independent prosecutor’s report will be published shortly, hopefully this week,” a WADA spokesman confirmed.

WADA has gone to extreme lengths to protect the findings and recommendations from being leaked after the explosive news of the secret Chinese test results was exclusively broken by this masthead on April 20, setting off an international firestorm of accusations.

WADA has copped the bulk of criticism over its handling of the investigation, but maintains it did nothing wrong in accepting the original findings of the Chinese anti-doping regulators, CHINADA, who ruled that the results were caused by eating contaminated food prepared in a hotel kitchen where the swimmers were staying.

China's Shun Wang won gold in the men's 200m Individual Medley Final at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics. Picture: Adam Head

Suspicions have intensified because the drug they all tested positive for was trimetazidine, or TMZ, is the same banned heart booster that Sun Yang was once busted for.

Athletes caught using TMZ normally incur an automatic ban, regardless of whether they took the drug intentionally or not, but China’s Ministry of Public Security, the same intelligence agency that was used to catch Chinese dissidents who participated in the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, decided the swimmers had no case to answer.

As previously revealed by this masthead, WADA’s own executives were kept in the dark and only found out when this masthead broke the story, and have once again been sidelined because of the heightened sensitivity around the review findings.

National anti-doping bodies, including Sport Integrity Australia, have also been denied early access to the report, along with senior Olympic officials and international sports federations.

The handful of people who have briefed on the findings have all been sworn to secrecy, with one highly-placed source saying only ‘just don’t expect many surprises.’

Sun Yang was unhappy when Duncan Scott didn’t join him on the medal podium at the 2019 World Championships in South Korea. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

That’s the same prediction from Travis Tygart, the US anti drugs crusader who nailed Lance Armstrong and has accused WADA of sweeping the Chinese case under the rug.

He has repeatedly called on authorities to explain why the Chinese swimmers were not given a mandatory suspension in accordance with the standard rule of anti-doping, which stipulates all athletes are ultimately responsible for whatever substances are found in their body.

“While we were ultimately glad that WADA was forced to have an independent review, we of course were disappointed that the very staff whose decisions in this process were questioned that they were the ones to set the terms of reference for this review,” Tygart said in a message to athletes.

“It seems … more of a self-serving check the box type of exercise.”

Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has accused WADA of sweeping the Chinese case under the rug. Picture: John Thys / AFP

Despite his scepticism, Tygart said he was optimistic the report would shed some light on the awkward questions that have been posed.

“We do want to remain hopeful that the reviewer is going to actually confirm why CHINADA didn’t follow the rules, as WADA has now admitted, and also determine why WADA allowed China not to follow the rules in this situation,” Tygart said.

“And, most importantly, if WADA continues to stand by these positive tests being due to contamination, the report from this independent person must show the data, not just the opinions of others, but show the data that was relied on by CHINADA and let the world see.”

Regardless of what the full report includes, the saga is a long way from being over, and is expected to spill into the Paris Olympics, raising fears that frustrated athletes may revert to protests at medal ceremonies.

World Aquatics is currently conducting a separate review into its processes and procedures in dealing with mass contamination while CEO Brent Nowicki has been subpoenaed to testify in a US criminal investigation into the Chinese case after WADA refused to co-operate.