For 23 top Chinese swimmers, positive doping tests had no consequences in 2021 – because the World Anti-Doping Agency WADA did not act. Three affected athletes became Olympic champions after the possible cover-up in Tokyo.
The research by the ARD doping editorial team and the “New York Times” leads directly to the Middle Kingdom: It’s about dubious events surrounding a national competition in China at the beginning of 2021, in which 23 top swimmers tested positive. And about a possible cover-up operation in which the world anti- Doping agency watched in silence.
And it’s about a secret document, prepared under the supervision of the Chinese Ministry of Public Security, which ultimately ensured that no one found out about one of the biggest suspected doping cases in sports history.
It is the explosive “China Files” that gives the title to the ARD film from the “Secret Matter Doping” series. The document and its story have the potential to keep world sport in suspense well beyond this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. They are shaking up the fight for clean sport and placing a heavy burden on WADA.
“Knives in the backs of clean athletes”
Travis Tygart, head of the US Anti-Doping Agency, spoke of “shocking revelations” of a “Knives in the back of all clean athletes”. The case smells “after a cover-up at the highest levels of the World Anti-Doping Agency”.
David Howman, the former WADA director general, fears that the fight for clean sport will be sustainably damaged: “It just takes trust. But if you lose that, your organization’s reputation will quickly go downhill. If that’s the case, it would be a tragedy for WADA.”
One by one: In September 2023, the ARD doping editorial team received the 31-page investigation report. It was written by the Chinese anti-doping agency CHINADA. However, the Ministry of Public Security, an arm of state surveillance, was named as the investigating authority. ARD and “New York Times” had the document verified by several sources.
Superstars affected
According to the report, 23 of China’s top swimmers tested positive at the competition in Shijiazhuang. According to the report, these included the later double Olympic champion Zhang Yufei, Wang Shuan and Yang Junxuan, who also won in Tokyo, and Qin Haiyang, the world swimmer of the year in 2023. Above all, Qin and Zhang Yufei, who also has political ambitions as a member of the National People’s Congress , are superstars in China.
Josef Opfermann, Sportschau, April 20, 2024 12:21 p.m
At the beginning of 2021, three athletes who were underage at the time were also affected by positive tests. 13 of the 23 people who tested positive competed at the Olympics in the summer of 2021 and won medals in five competitions in Tokyo (three gold, two silver).
Trimetazidine – like Valiyeva
The same substance was always found: trimetazidine, the banned heart drug that was Kamila Valiyeva’s downfall in 2021.
The Russian figure skating prodigy, then 15 years old, was ultimately banned for four years after a sports justice marathon – while in 2021 the Chinese swimmers didn’t even have to answer for.
Traces on extractor hood, spice containers, drain
The report said the positive cases were caused by contamination. Food was cooked for all affected athletes in a hotel kitchen in Shijiazhuang. The report states that more than two months later, investigators inspected the kitchen and found traces of trimetazidine in the extractor hood, on spice containers and in the drain.
The Chinese do not provide any evidence for their claims in the document. They also do not explain which person is said to have had the prescription drug trimetazidine in the hotel kitchen. Nevertheless, they stated that the most likely administration scenario was: from the spice container into the pan or saucepan – and from there into the athletes’ meals.
In any case, the doping substance got into their body without their knowledge. The Chinese demand that the athletes should not be prosecuted. WADA apparently accepted all of this without hesitation. They did not conduct an independent on-site investigation.
WADA: “No basis” to challenge CHINADA decision
When asked by ARD, WADA said that it had based on the analysis data “no basis” seen that “To challenge declarations of contamination”. It supports this, among other things “low concentrations” and “fluctuating values” in the doping samples. WADA says it has followed its rules.
CHINADA stated that “no anti-doping violations” had existed and therefore there was no need for action.
The World Swimming Federation announced that he was “sworn to secrecy”. The processes are “careful and professional” checked, so no further action was necessary.
WADA did not address the question of whether the scenario in the hotel kitchen was realistic or not. It was clear from the statement that WADA did not conduct an independent investigation in China and only decided not to investigate based on the CHINADA report.
“Extreme unlikely”
The Chinese investigation report largely reads like a perfectly aligned causal chain full of scientifically logical conclusions. The forensic toxicologist and pharmacist Fritz Sörgel also admits this: “But of course that doesn’t mean that it had to be that way.”he said.
Sörgel tested the Chinese information experimentally on behalf of the ARD doping editorial team. After various experiments, Sörgel said he thought so “extremely unlikely”that the events occurred as described in the report: “The concentrations that were allegedly found by the laboratory in China could actually only have arisen because the doping agent had been administered weeks before.”
The positive cases were correctly entered into WADA’s official ADAMS reporting system in March 2021 after a two-month delay attributed to a local Covid outbreak. However, instead of reporting an official anti-doping rule violation (ADRV), the internal Chinese investigation took place. In this way, the usual steps of publicly announcing the case and imposing an interim ban were avoided.
“WADA should have intervened”
From the end of April onwards, the swimmers took part in the Chinese Olympic trials unmolested. In June it was decided to fully clear the athletes so that they could compete in the Tokyo Olympics. WADA was informed of this decision – and did not appeal. The case was never made public. There is no evidence that the swimmers were disqualified from the event in which they tested positive.
The renowned sports lawyer Thomas Summerer criticizes the blatant failures of the anti-doping authorities. “It was obvious that there was an anti-doping violation, and that is how it should have been treated by the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency.”said Summerer. Provisional suspensions, cancellation of results, publication of the case – none of what Summerer considers mandatory has happened. “WADA, as the highest control body in world sport, should have intervened so that more light can be shed on the darkness.”said Summerer.