USA lose World Anti-Doping Agency board seat after protesting Chinese swimming scandal

The USA has lost its seat at the World Anti-Doping Agency table after continuing to protest the Chinese swimming scandal, as tensions with the anti-doping watch dog continue to rise.

The simmering feud between the United States and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) over the secret Chinese swimming scandal has reached boiling point.

In a major escalation overnight, WADA confirmed it has banned American representatives from sitting on its foundation board or executive committee after the US government defaulted on its annual payment to the global drugs watchdog.

The US had owed WADA $5.8 million for its 2024 contribution but the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) refused to pay, missing the December 31 deadline.

The ONDCP’s director Dr. Rahul Gupta had already warned WADA that US politicians wanted a more comprehensive investigation into exactly how nearly two dozen top Chinese swimmers escaped punishment after testing positive to a banned heart drug before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Director General Olivier Niggli.

First revealed by this masthead, the Chinese swimmers – including some who went on to win gold medals at the Tokyo and Paris Olympics – were all let off without as much as a warning after WADA agreed with China’s explanation that they had all consumed contaminated food prepared in a hotel kitchen.

WADA has strongly defended its handling of the case against a wave of international protests, telling this masthead it was obliged to sanction the US for not making its annual payment.

“Under Article 6.6 of the WADA Statutes, public authority representatives from a country which has not paid its dues are ineligible to sit on the foundation board or the executive committee,” WADA said.

“Therefore, on 1 January of each year, any foundation board or executive committee member representing a country that has not paid its annual contribution for the previous year automatically loses their seat.”

Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA)

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) fired straight back, saying it fully supported the American government’s decision to protest against the global regulator.

“Unfortunately, the current WADA leaders left the U.S. with no other option after failing to deliver on several very reasonable requests, such as an independent audit of WADA’s operations, to achieve the transparency and accountability needed to ensure WADA is fit for purpose to protect athletes,” USADA chief executive Travis Tygart said.

“Since the exposure of WADA’s handling of the 23 Chinese swimmers’ positive tests that gave China and its athletes special treatment under the rules, many stakeholders from around the world, including athletes, governments, and national anti-doping agencies, have sought answers, transparency, and accountability from WADA leadership.”

The standoff between the US and WADA – which is backed by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) – is set to intensify in the coming years with Los Angeles already locked in to host the 2028 Olympics.

China won gold in the women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games.

Returning US President Donald Trump has been openly critical of WADA in the past, authorising Congress to withhold payments and signing into law the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, which gives US officials the power to impose criminal sanctions on anyone involved in international doping fraud conspiracies.

Sport Integrity Australia also questioned WADA’s handling of the Chinese swimming case but the federal government still went ahead and made its annual contribution of $878,000, triggering questions about double standards

WADA did not show the same leniency to Australian swimmer Shayna Jack, who served a two-year ban after testing positive for ligandrol despite investigators agreeing that she had ingested the substance unknowingly.

Her prominent sports lawyer, Tim Fuller, recently told this masthead that Australian authorities should have backed the Americans in demanding more transparency.

“The USA is asking questions – and until answers to their questions are attained, withholding funding is justified,” he said.