Final report clears WADA over China swimmers who failed dope tests

WADA report clears China of doping favoritism, calls for strengthening anti-doping rules and processes, prompting further investigation.

A final report has concluded that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) did not show “favouritism” towards China in the case of 23 Chinese swimmers who were cleared to compete after testing positive for a banned drug.

But it did find WADA’s anti-doping rules and administrative processes could be strengthened, which the agency itself acknowledged, and also criticised parts of the Chinese response to the positive tests.

The report’s author, Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, said he found “WADA has done its work autonomously, independently and professionally, and that there is no evidence to the contrary.”

This matched his interim findings announced in July, ahead of the Paris Olympics, where 11 of the Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned heart medication competed.

Responding to Thursday’s report, US Anti Doping Agency chief Travis Tygart, who has been an outspoken critic of WADA’s handling of the affair, said the conclusions “only validates our concerns.”

Cottier noted in the final report that some anti-doping rules were not followed by the Chinese anti-doping agency (CHINADA), but added “it does not change the outcome of the cases and the acceptance of the contamination hypothesis.”

China said Friday it had a “zero-tolerance attitude” to doping.