Chinese doping scandal hits 3 months before Paris Games; US claims cover-up

[KARAH RUCKER]

IT WON’T BE ALL FUN AND GAMES AT THIS YEAR’S SUMMER OLYMPICS IN PARIS.

NEW ALLEGATIONS OF CHINESE SWIMMERS USING PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT DRUGS AT TOKYO’S OLYMPIC GAMES IN 2021 HAS TEAM USA CALLING FOR CHINA’S MEDALS TO BE RESCINDED AND TEAM BRITAIN CALLING FOR LIFETIME BANS OF THE SWIMMERS CAUGHT UP IN THE DOPING SCANDAL.

CHINA SAYS – A BANNED SUBSTANCE ACCIDENTALLY ENDED UP IN DOZENS OF THEIR SWIMMERS’ SYSTEMS PRIOR TO THE 2021 GAMES.

THE UNITED STATES IS CALLING IT A COVER UP AND BLATANT CHEATING.

BUT THE WORLD AGENCY IN CHARGE OF KEEPING THE OLYMPICS “CLEAN” –

IS TAKING CHINA’S SIDE – AND THREATENING THE U.S. WITH LEGAL ACTION FOR CASTING DOUBT ON THEIR INVESTIGATION.

SEVEN MONTHS PRIOR TO THE 2021 OLYMPICS –

THE POSITIVE TESTS WERE INVESTIGATED BY CHINESE OFFICIALS WHO OVERSEE DRUG TESTING IN THEIR OLYMPIC ATHLETES.

THEY CONCLUDED THE SWIMMERS DIDN’T PURPOSELY TAKE THE DRUG. BUT RATHER IT WAS INGESTED IN SMALL AMOUNTS FROM — “ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION”.

CHINA TURNED OVER THEIR FINDINGS TO THE WORLD ANTI-DOPING AGENCY WHICH SAID THERE WAS “NO EVIDENCE TO CHALLENGE CHINA’S VERSION OF EVENTS” –

SO THEY CLOSED THE CASE.

THERE WAS NO PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT OVER THE POSITIVE TESTS.

NO SUSPENSIONS. DISQUALIFICATIONS. OR REPERCUSSIONS.

FOR THAT – THE UNITED STATES ANTI-DOPING AGENCY SHARPLY CRITICIZED WORLD OFFICIALS – SAYING THESE WERE “EGREGIOUS FAILURES.”

THE WORLD AGENCY RESPONDED SAYING THEY’VE PREVIOUSLY ACCEPTED SIMILAR CLAIMS FROM THE U.S. THAT SOME OF THEIR ATHLETES WERE EXPOSED TO PERFORMANCE DRUGS THROUGH “ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION.”

AND SAID THE FALSE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST THE WORLD AGENCY ARE DEFAMATORY.

EVEN THOUGH THE DOPING ACCUSATIONS HAPPENED THREE YEARS AGO –

IT’S ONLY NOW BECOMING PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE –

LESS THAN 100 DAYS FROM THE NEXT SUMMER GAMES.

TEAM USA SWIMMER PAIGE MADDEN WHOSE FREESTYLE RELAY TEAM CAME IN SECOND TO CHINA IN 2021 SAYS SHE FEELS “CHEATED” AND WANTS “A REALLOCATION OF MEDALS TO BE CONSIDERED.”

TEAM BRITAIN’S OLYMPIC SWIMMER “JAMES GUY” CALLED FOR THE SWIMMERS INVOLVED TO BE BANNED FOR LIFE.

THE NEW YORK TIMES SAYS THERE WERE FIVE EVENTS IN TOKYO GAMES IN WHICH CHINESE SWIMMERS WHO TESTED POSITIVE FOR THE BANNED SUBSTANCES WON MEDALS – THREE OF THEM BEING GOLD.