World anti-doping chiefs set sights on US college testing as drugs row deepens
Wada says US sends athletes to major competitions without sufficient testing, an accusation officials call ‘deflection’ ahead of China report
The World Anti-Doping Agency has renewed its call for the US Anti-Doping Agency to better protect clean sport in the United States amid what it says are growing concerns about athletes attending major events without being sufficiently tested.
According to a Wada letter sent to Usada board chair Tobie Smith last Friday, 90 per cent of all athletes in the United States compete outside the protection of the anti-doping code.
Wada said it received a letter in July on behalf of 32 national and regional anti-doping organisations from Europe, Asia and Africa who appear concerned the US are sending athletes to major events like the Olympics and world championships without being sufficiently tested in advance.
“It is surely time to address these issues that directly concern Usada and US athletes,” Wada said, while the agency also called for reforms of the anti-doping system within the US, especially when it comes to college sports.
The letter was signed by Wada president Witold Banka and director general Olivier Niggli.
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Chinese swimmers’ doping claims: what drug was involved, what has been said and what happens next
US officials called the letter an “attempt at deflection” ahead of Thursday’s complete report by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier into the case of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for banned substances and were cleared to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.
