The International Olympic Committee (IOC) made the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and relevant Utah officials effectively stop questioning the legitimacy of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) probes into Chinese athletes, National Public Radio (NPR) reported on Wednesday.
The IOC announced on Wednesday that Salt Lake City, Utah, would host the 2034 Winter Olympics, its second time hosting since the 2002 Winter Games, on the cusp of the start of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France. The announcement followed months of controversy in the swimming world after the left-wing New York Times revealed in April that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance, trimetazidine (TMZ), seven months before competing in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics – but the IOC did nothing to stop them from participating.
“Several of the athletes who tested positive — including nearly half of the swimming team that China sent to the Tokyo Games — went on to win medals, including three golds,” the Times recalled. Of the swimmers involved, 11 are expected to return to competition in Paris.
China’s national anti-doping officials claimed that the swimmers tested positive for TMZ because they inadvertently ate food that contained the substance and that they had not consumed enough of the substance to merit any consequences. WADA accepted this explanation and has repeatedly applauded itself for doing nothing in the face of negative substance tests. The scandal has particularly incensed American competitors and the U.S. government, which has held Congressional hearings on the matter and reportedly opened a criminal investigation into the use of banned medications.
NPR reported on Wednesday that the IOC, which has vocally defended WADA’s handling of the matter and has a long history of defending the Chinese Communist Party’s nefarious behavior, allegedly pressured American officials to drop complaints about Chinese doping if they want to host the 2034 Winter Olympics. Specifically, the IOC “demanded that officials in Utah — along with U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) — sign a contract affirming ‘respect’ for the authority of WADA in exchange for Wednesday’s agreement to hold the 2034 Winter Games in Salt Lake City.”
“If the U.S. doesn’t comply by accepting WADA’s authority, Salt Lake City’s status as a host city could be revoked,” NPR noted.
CBS News reported the threat as a “clause” in the contract to host that insisted Utah officials had to work with “federal officials,” presumably the Justice Department, “to alleviate your concerns” about the Chinese doping allegations. The language in the contract allows the IOC to abruptly take away Salt Lake City’s hosting duties if it feels that WADA is “undermined.”
“The president of the IOC is upset with the FBI’s investigation into the World Anti-Doping Agency’s decision to accept China’s reason behind nearly two dozen positive drug tests,” CBS added.
The IOC and WADA moved rapidly to crush any incoming criticism of the agreement on Wednesday, addressing the Chinese doping scandal directly.
WADA President Witold Bańka recalled in his remarks that WADA appointed an “independent prosecutor” who concluded “that WADA did not show any bias, undue interference or other impropriety in its assessment of the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency’s decision” and was “indisputably reasonable” in doing nothing to address the negative tests.
China declared victory on Wednesday through its state media mouthpiece, the Global Times, which condemned the “continued defamation” by concerned Americans regarding the positive substance tests.
“The investigation agencies in the US have a notorious history of double standards and imbalance, which is even more evident in cases involving China,” Chinese “expert” professor Li Haidong was quoted as saying. “This so-called investigation reflects its attempt to unjustly obstruct China in all areas where its influence is growing.”
The Times called for international opposition to “those who politicize sports events” in the face of doping concerns.
NPR reported in early July that the Justice Department ad opened an independent criminal investigation into the doping scandal, potentially involving FBI action. It is unclear if that investigation is still open or who, exactly, it is against – the Chinese swimmers, coaches, the Communist Party, or all involved entities.
American swimmers have loudly expressed concerns about WADA’s inaction. Addressing Congress in May, retired American swimmer Michael Phelps – the winningest Olympian in the Games’ modern history – warned that tolerance for doping could end the Olympics as they currently exist.
“Right now people are just getting away with everything. How is that possible?” he asked. “It makes no sense. I’m one [who believes] if someone does test positive, I’d like to see a lifetime ban.”
“If we continue to let this slide any farther, the Olympic games might not even be there,” he suggested.
Current Olympic swimmer Katie Ledecky told a press conference on Wednesday that fellow athletes “want further answers to the questions that still remain,” lamenting a lack of “transparency” in the process.
“I hope everyone here is going to be completing clean here this week,” Ledecky said, “But what really matters also is were they training clean?”
The 2024 Paris Olympics’ swimming competition is scheduled to begin on Saturday.
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