As Turbulent 2024 Nears Close, Anti-Doping Agency Pushes Back Against 'Unfair Attacks'

Last spring, the sports watchdog was severely criticized for clearing swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Reflecting on a turbulent year for the World Anti-Doping Agency, marked by controversies over Chinese swimmers and Jannik Sinner, its president in an interview with AFP pushed back against "unfair, defamatory attacks." Last spring, the sports watchdog was severely criticized for clearing swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021. The Montreal-headquartered agency had accepted Chinese authorities' explanation that their 23 athletes had eaten contaminated food at a hotel.

WADA president Witold Banka insists the case is now "definitively" closed since an independent report found "there was no bias towards China." "There was no wrongdoing on our side," he added.

Banka accused US officials who raised those concerns of politicizing the case and making "very unfair, defamatory attacks on WADA."

Even if tensions have subsided, he admits that relations with the US Anti-Doping Agency remain "quite difficult," insisting that "one stakeholder cannot impose its vision (for) how the system should work."

"Whether someone likes it or not, WADA is the body responsible for the anti-doping system in the world," he said.