Chinese Foreign Ministry denies allegations of deliberate doping by swimmers

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said Chinese swimmers did not intentionally use banned drugs and noted that the country’s government has always taken a zero-tolerance stance on doping .

On Saturday, the New York Times published an article claiming that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for doping. The authors accuse the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of ignoring whistleblowers’ evidence and being inconsistent in handling different doping cases.

— I think you noted that the World Anti-Doping Agency has issued a very clear response. After a thorough and detailed investigation into this incident conducted by the Chinese Anti-Doping Center in 2021, it was determined that the athletes in question had consumed these drugs without their knowledge. “I would also like to emphasize that the Chinese government has always maintained a zero-tolerance position towards doping,” Wenbin was quoted as saying by RMC Sport.

The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) acknowledged the athletes’ positive samples, but said trimetazidine entered their bodies unintentionally and in small quantities. The organization conducted its own investigation and discovered that the substance had been found on kitchen utensils at the hotel where the swimmers lived.

Later, Chinese swimmers, including those who tested positive for trimetazidine, won three gold, two silver and one bronze medals at the 2020 Olympics. They also broke several world records.

RMC Sport