China Anti-Doping Agency will actively cooperate with WADA audit

China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) will actively cooperate with the coming compliance audit launched by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to assess the current state of CHINADA's anti-doping program in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code (the Code), the CHINADA announced in a statement on Friday.

A group of Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) in early 2021, saying they were inadvertently exposed to the substance through contamination. After WADA Science Department and external legal counsel reviewed this case thoroughly, it concluded that "the athletes would be held to have no fault or negligence."

"In light of the damaging and baseless allegations that are being leveled at the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regarding the CHINADA's no-fault contamination case involving 23 swimmers from China in 2021, WADA has responded to calls and invited an independent prosecutor, Mr. Eric Cottier, to conduct a thorough review of WADA's handling of the matter," WADA said in a statement on Thursday.

CHINADA supported WADA's decision to invite an independent prosecutor to review the investigation as it is "a clear demonstration of fairness, openness and transparency of WADA." Meanwhile, CHINADA promised to "provide assistance where needed."

"Since the establishment in 2007, CHINADA has been carrying out its work in strict accordance with the Code and International Standards with 'Zero Tolerance' attitude towards doping," CHINADA said in the statement. "In the trimetazidine (TMZ) contamination cases in swimming in 2021, CHINADA, rigorously and objectively, initiated thorough and comprehensive investigation immediately with scientific methods. Based on the findings of the investigation, results of environmental samples, combined with conclusions of scientific experiments, expert opinions and other evidence, including the prolonged and intensive testing records and analysis results of the athletes involved, it was finally decided that the Adverse Analytical Findings (AAFs) for TMZ were an isolated mass incident caused by athletes' unknowing consumption of food contaminated with TMZ when they were participating in the event. It was then decided that the athletes involved would be held to have no fault or no negligence, and the above AAF cases should not be brought forward as Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs). In the whole investigation process, CHINADA kept WADA and the Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA, now known as World Aquatics) informed of relevant progress, and submitted the evidence from investigation, decisions made by CHINADA and the full case files. Conclusions from the investigation and the decision were accepted by both WADA and FINA."

CHINADA strongly condemned the unauthorized disclosure of the names and other detailed private information which should have been confidential of athletes. "CHINADA calls for WADA to investigate into the leaks of private information and reserves its right to take legal action as appropriate," the organization said.

"It should be made clear that there have been false accusations and misleading defamatory reports from some organizations and media, including the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), the New York Times, and the German broadcaster, ARD, who choose to ignore China's firm attitude in the fight against doping in sport and the achievements in China's anti-doping program, with bias and distrust rooted deeply in their minds. These organizations and media have held misconceptions, made misjudgment and released inappropriate reports and announcements. The information they have published are clearly contrary to the basic facts. What they are trying to do is manipulate public opinion by spreading misinformation in order to attack WADA and CHINADA, and shake the well-functioning global anti-doping system," the CHINADA added.