Seism in the world of anti-doping. The World Anti-Doping Agency (AMA) is suspected of having covered up the positive tests for trimetazidine – a banned substance which improves blood circulation – of twenty-three Chinese swimmers in 2021. Half were able to participate in the Tokyo Games and win medals. The affair, revealed on April 20 by the German television channel ARD and by the American daily The New York Times, continues to produce its devastating effects. WADA may be judged ineffective or even incompetent. But from there to imagine the world policeman accused of complicity with the incriminated athletes…
In Montreal, headquarters of the AMA, the time has come for crisis communication. The credibility of the body is at stake. Created at the end of 1999 following the Festina scandal in cycling, the independent organization is responsible for developing and ensuring compliance with anti-doping rules in all sports and all countries. And in particular to control the activities of national anti-doping agencies towards which WADA is known to be intransigent.
WADA denies any complacency towards the Chinada agency. “WADA’s integrity and reputation are under attack”replies its president, Witold Banka, who speaks of “false accusations”. The Pole does not budge: WADA has acted “in accordance with procedure” in the case of Chinese swimmers. However, he is accused of having accepted without batting an eyelid the hypothesis of food contamination advocated by Beijing, which therefore controlled… then tried to clear its athletes.
The argument did not convince Travis Tygart, wind has been blowing for a week. The head of American anti-doping (Usada) calls for an overhaul of WADA, of which the United States is the main financial contributor. Otherwise, USADA threatens to secede and apply, in the name of universal jurisdiction, its own standards. Which would precipitate the collapse of the current model.
Lack of clarity
The fight against doping didn’t need that. The fragile scaffolding built over the years was already not shining with its clarity. It is often difficult to know who does what between the different actors involved. For the Paris 2024 Games, it will be the International Testing Agency (ITA)the latest (end of 2018), which will implement the competition anti-doping program on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD), who reacted weakly to the scandal, will only act as a service provider for the ITA in infrastructures which will be made available by the Organizing Committee for the Paris 2024 Games. Are you following? And for the Paralympics, it is the International Paralympic Committee which, to the great dismay of certain aforementioned operators, will keep control. Here again, it’s difficult to see clearly.
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