Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, talks with reporters at a press conference, Beijing, China, September 13, 2024. /MOFA
Sports issues should not be politicized, a spokesperson for China's Foreign Ministry said at a press conference on Friday when talking about a newly released report related to an anti-doping issue.
The report, issued by an independent prosecutor on Thursday, concluded that there's no bias found toward China when the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) handled the food contamination cases involving 23 Chinese swimmers in 2021.
Related story: Independent prosecutor reaffirms WADA not biased towards China
The cases have been under spotlight for months as the Chinese and U.S. anti-doping agencies traded accusations.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said China has always strictly adhered to the World Anti-Doping Code and maintains a zero-tolerance attitude towards doping.
"Athletes from all countries should be treated equally," Mao emphasized. "The environment for fair competition should be effectively safeguarded."
Read more: All you need to know about the U.S. push on Chinese doping narratives
(Peng Yuhan contributed to the story.)