Independent prosecutor reaffirms WADA not biased towards China

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was found to have shown no bias toward China, and its decision not to appeal cases was deemed reasonable, according to the final report of an independent prosecutor released on Thursday.

The final report, presented virtually to WADA's Executive Committee (ExCo) by independent prosecutor Eric Cottier, reviewed WADA's handling of the China Anti-Doping Agency's no-fault contamination cases involving Chinese swimmers in 2021.

"I am pleased to confirm that my conclusions, which were published via my interim report on July 9, have not changed. The information in the file shows that WADA has done its work autonomously, independently and professionally, and that there is no evidence to the contrary. WADA has applied the rules to which its activity is subject," Cottier said in his opening remarks to the ExCo.

WADA President Witold Banka said: "We especially welcome Mr Cottier's suggestion that we look at the rules concerning group contamination. These Chinese swimming cases reflect the inherent difficulty of dealing with cases of alleged contamination. With laboratories now able to routinely detect tiny concentrations of prohibited substances in the millionth or even billionth of a gram range, many of the adverse findings are theoretically compatible with trace, inadvertent contamination. Contamination scenarios, including very intricate and seemingly improbable ones, are being accepted more and more readily by tribunals."

Cottier was appointed on April 25 by the ExCo and tasked reviewing WADA's handling of the 2021 Chinese swimmers contamination case. He delivered an interim report on July 9, which concluded that WADA had acted without bias and handled the case reasonably.