“The US is a huge doping market.” World Anti-Doping Agency threatens American sports with isolation

The President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Witold Bańka threatened the United States and the American Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) with sports isolation.

During the International Olympic Committee (IOC) session in Paris, the head of the organization warned that if the conflict over the Chinese swimmers’ doping case develops, the United States will be temporarily isolated from the sports sphere. This, according to him, will seriously affect American sports as a whole. Banka added that cooperation with law enforcement agencies in other countries has proven that “the United States is a huge market for the sale and distribution of doping.”

On April 20, 2024, information emerged that the banned drug trimetazidine had been found in samples from Chinese swimmers competing in 2021. China emphasized that traces of the drug were found on the kitchen table of the hotel where the athletes spent the night. WADA also considered the indicated evidence insufficient, so the swimmers were allowed to participate in the Tokyo Olympics. Later, USADA CEO Travis Tygart accused WADA of concealing the truth.

US predicts loss of tournaments due to Chinese swimmers case

Representatives of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) have threatened the United States with the loss of international tournaments amid the country’s investigation into the doping case of 23 Chinese swimmers.

ASOIF noted that the current position of the American side could undermine the independence and authority of WADA, as well as the trust of other countries in the rules established by the agency. It was emphasized that US interference in this case could threaten the personal safety of athletes.

In addition, former International Olympic Committee member Richard Pound, who previously headed WADA, recalled that “Rodchenkov’s Law” could jeopardize future Olympic Games in the United States.

“This law is not in line with the anti-doping code. I believe that one of the steps that WADA will take at this stage will be to refer this particular issue to the compliance review committee,” he commented on the situation, adding that the US’s stubbornness could leave the country without the Olympics.

Russia Calls Possible US Sports Isolation a “Boomerang Law”

Olympic champion, First Deputy Chairperson of the State Duma Committee on International Affairs Svetlana Zhurova commented on the information that the United States may lose the right to host the Olympic Games due to their investigation into the doping case of Chinese swimmers. She called such an outcome of events “the law of boomerang” for the American side.

According to Zhurova, if WADA decides to prove its independence, given the organization’s past decision on Russia, it will not leave the doping scandal with the United States without attention.

At the same time, Honored Russian Figure Skating Coach Tatyana Tarasova stated that the United States is unlikely to be deprived of the right to host the Olympic Games. She noted that any outcome of this case will not return Russia the opportunity to host the Olympics.