ALast month, WADA celebrated its 25th anniversary in Lausanne with a clever montage highlighting how it has changed sport for the better. Before the history lessons and promises, there were images of Muhammad Ali defying Parkinson’s disease to light the Olympic flame and Pele lifting the World Cup. “Today’s World Anti-Doping Agency is a more representative, more accountable and more transparent organization,” explains its Director General Olivier Niggli, “one that truly values athletes in what we do. The heart of it all.
Not everyone in the room bought the bill – one source thought it was too PR-focused, and when International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and former World Anti-Doping Agency chief Craig Ree Another source raised an eyebrow when Sir Craig Reedie received the award. However, dissatisfaction with WADA has largely been limited to hallway conversations. It turns out to be the relative calm before the thermonuclear storm.
That all changed last Saturday, when an ARD/New York Times investigation revealed that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ), which was banned in China ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Everything was quietly cleared after anti-doping agencies found their hotel. If that wasn’t explosive enough, USADA CEO Travis Tygart later put the blame on WADA and China Anti-Doping Agency for their “failure to act fairly and equitably.” These positive results are masked by compliance with global rules.” It applies to everyone in the world.”
Tygart has a knack for speaking his mind – especially on Russia – and WADA often ignores him or responds with anodyne. Not this time. Instead, it retaliated by accusing Tygart of “outrageous, completely false and defamatory statements.”
What followed was an explosion of years of pent-up frustration, suspicion and anger on both sides. A week has passed and the anti-doping civil war shows no sign of dying down. People increasingly feel that this dispute is not only related to the fate of 23 Chinese swimmers, but also related to the core and soul of the anti-doping movement.
First, though, there’s those swimmers – and why WADA didn’t challenge the Chinese authorities’ findings. Here, the anti-establishment position is clear but also controversial. The company said there was “no evidence disputing the environmental contamination that led Chinada to close the cases in June 2021” – and it was told by outside lawyers that it would lose any appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas). under the challenge.
However, Tygart’s U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and its allies argue that WADA is not transparent and has not shown enough enthusiasm to investigate, and question why it did not pressure Chinese intelligence services to ask why it took two months It was only then that I found TMZ in the hotel kitchen.As Rob Koehler, chief executive of the pressure group Global Athletes, said: “The athletes I talk to are very angry, they are very frustrated, and they want accountability and answers. Athletes Feel That The reason for the drop is that they once again feel like they are being held to a higher standard than the greater powers.
Former Australian Anti-Doping Agency chairman Richard Ings has dismissed any suggestion of serious wrongdoing by WADA. “I don’t believe that an organization like WADA would cover up doping cases in China,” he said. “WADA’s relationship with Russia is very serious. I think it is unlikely that they will be caught off guard again in another country. What is most significant is that WADA received a report from the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency, given the COVID-19 Due to travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, they sought further legal advice and decided that any challenge would not stand in Cass State.
“I think it’s important to remember that World Aquatics had the same pleadings and the same rights of appeal, but they didn’t do that either.”
So what impact does this case have on the wider anti-doping system? To answer this question, observer More than a dozen senior anti-doping executives, lawyers and officials were spoken to, most on a confidential basis. While there is little consensus, some trends do emerge.
The first is the general feeling that WADA is no longer chasing cheaters as loudly as it used to be. As one senior source put it: “WADA is not talking about kicking down the door on dirty athletes. From a generous perspective, it is just trying to put in place a compliance system where they really understand who the bad guys are.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing, they admit. “But,” they added, “is there any good in Hotan? I don’t believe that. I think there are some good people there. From the intelligence and investigation, I like Günter Younger. But beyond that, there seems to be A sense of slow progress.
In a statement, WADA dismissed suggestions that it was too focused on compliance rather than catching cheating: “This is not a question of one or the other.”
Secondly, as many have pointed out, it’s worth remembering that both Tygart and the anti-establishment have a history. The American was the most outspoken critic of WADA during the Russian doping scandal, when he accused the agency of being too slow to investigate allegations of state-sponsored doping and questioned its relationship with international Olympic Committee and condemned it for not doing enough to protect innocent athletes.
Newsletter Promotion Post
Yes, he upset many people at WADA and the IOC. But it turns out Tygart was right. So can you really blame him for sounding the alarm here too? However, his critics believe his comments are part of a broader geopolitical conflict between the United States and China and reject the idea that China is Russia’s No. 2 figure.
It is also worth reflecting on the fact that the US government passed the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act in 2020, which further aggravated the tension between the two countries. The bill allows the U.S. to infringe on WADA territory by targeting doping networks (including doctors, coaches and drug suppliers) involved in international competitions involving U.S. athletes.
Third trend: Not everyone is happy with Witold Banka’s management of WADA since he took over in 2020. The extension to six years was surprising, with one source describing it as “very annoying to people”.
Others have wondered whether the latest spat shows he lacks the savvy to side with a figure like Tygart, who has a track record of catching cheaters. As another source said: “This job is great for him. Is he a good fit for it? I don’t think so.
Some also believe WADA’s criticism of Tygart shows the organization is less tolerant of dissent, but this was denied by a spokesman. “WADA is accustomed to constructive criticism and reasoned comments,” they said. “However, when you are publicly accused of being biased against a particular country and covering up doping issues, without even a shred of supporting evidence, that is no longer justified and we have a responsibility to protect ourselves from such attacks, many of which are out of date. for political motives.
Furthermore, the spokesman dismissed any suggestion that WADA lacked interest in catching up with the powerful nations. “This couldn’t be further from the truth,” they added. “We stand ready to confront and stop those who cheat the system, no matter where they come from.”
At the same time, don’t expect a reprieve anytime soon. On Thursday, the World Anti-Doping Agency announced an independent investigation into its handling of the cases of 23 Chinese swimmers. What’s the response from the U.S. state of Tennessee? Questioning whether it is truly independent.
All this is a far cry from the 25th anniversary celebrations a month ago. That night, Banka told delegates, “We are working together to face the next quarter century with the singular mission of the team.” Now, however, the team feels more divided than ever.
