Explainer | Chinese swimmers’ doping allegations: what drug was involved, what has Wada said, and what might happen next
- Reports last week revealed 23 Chinese swimmers failed a drugs test before the Tokyo Olympics, but were cleared in secret
- World Anti-Doping Agency chiefs confirmed they knew about the incident, sparking fury from some quarters
The news that 23 Chinese swimmers failed drug testing weeks before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and were allowed to compete anyway, has caused a major row within the sport.
While the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has said it was aware of the incident and accepted China’s explanation the tests had been contaminated, drugs officials in the United States have accused officials of a cover-up.
Here we take a look at the drug involved, what Wada has said since the matter became public and what might happen next.
What are the accusations?
A joint investigation by German broadcasters ARD, The New York Times and Australian newspaper the Daily Telegraph revealed that 23 Chinese swimmers failed doping tests for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
World anti-doping officials confirmed the story, said they were aware of the incident at the time, and accepted the findings of the Chinese doping authority that the tests had been contaminated and none of the athletes concerned had deliberately taken the drug.
Wada has been accused of a cover-up – something it strenuously denies.
What is TMZ?
It’s a prescription heart medicine that can boost performance, and is the same drug for which Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive before the Beijing Winter Olympics. She has since been banned for four years and her teammates stripped of their gold medals.
