Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin called reports surrounding positive tests for 23 Chinese swimmers ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics “fake news and not factual” on Monday, according to AFP.
Last week, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed reports that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for low amounts of trimetazidine (TMZ) in January 2021. TMZ, a medication that increases blood flow to the heart and can be performance-enhancing, is banned by WADA without a therapeutic use exemption.
The swimmers were allowed to compete in Tokyo after WADA accepted an explanation from the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) that they had ingested the substance unwittingly from contaminated food during a competition in late 2020 and early 2021.
READ ALSO: WTT finals Fukuoka 2024 set to close curtain
Several went on to win medals, including gold, with many in line to compete at the Paris Olympics this summer.
Beijing made its first response to the claims, as first reported by the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD, via its foreign ministry on Monday. Wang said, “The relevant reports are fake news and not factual. I believe you will also have noted that the World Anti-Doping Agency has put out a very clear response.”
WADA has said there was “a lack of any credible evidence” to challenge China’s version of events.
However, the United States Anti-Doping Agency called news of the failed tests “crushing” and has blasted WADA’s response as “a devastating stab in the back of clean athletes”.
