Two key bodies which represent US athletes have written to the country’s drug tsar calling for a “truly independent investigation” after it emerged 23 Chinese swimmers were cleared to compete at the Tokyo Games, despite testing positive for a banned substance.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) said it was “not in a position to disprove” an assertion from the China Anti-Doping Agency (Chinada) that they had unintentionally ingested heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ).
It began an independent review into its handling of the case after an outcry.
Findings of the investigation, led by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, are expected to be delivered within two months.
The US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) criticised Wada’s appointment of Cottier, calling it a “circle the wagons exercise to protect the system”
And now the Team USA Athletes’ Commission and USA Swimming Athletes’ Advisory Council have jointly written to Dr Rahul Gupta, the director of the US Office of National Drug Control Policy – and the US representative to the Wada Executive Committee – saying they are “extremely concerned” about the case.
