Numerous US Olympic Swimmers have taken to their Instagram stories to express their reactions to the Chinese doping scandal that was released on Friday evening.
According to the reports by the New York Times and the ARD (Germany), 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) at the start of the calendar year in 2021, about seven months before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The swimmers were not sanctioned by CHINADA as traces of TMZ were reportedly found present in the hotel the swimmers stayed at. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) upheld CHINADA’s decision.
3x 2020 Olympic Medalist Lilly King posted on her Instagram story saying, “No words. Complete heartbreak for our clean athletes and frustration in the system that has failed them.”
Fellow breaststroker for the US in Tokyo Annie Lazor also posted on her Instagram story. “Shame on you @wada_ama. You’ve stripped clean athletes of their moment on the podium. Your window of opportunity to do right is gone. No delayed punishment replaces this.”
2016 Rio Olympian Kathleen Baker also took to Instagram saying, “So proud to be an American and be apart of all that @usantidoping represents.”
“For all that athletes, including myself put on the line it breaks my heart to see the playing field not kept level and clean by those who are responsible for it,” Baker continued.
2020 Tokyo Olympian Paige Madden also took to her Instagram story. Madden replied to fellow relay-teammates Allison Schmitt and Katie Ledecky‘s Instagram stories.
Madden said “We earned this, the right way. The fair way!” in reply to Schmitt’s story in which Schmitt said “This sure was a relay to remember. I remember our team ASKING to be drug tested after this race. To ensure that we all are clean.” The US women’s 4×200 free relay won silver finishing behind China in Tokyo. Madden replied to Ledecky’s story saying, “Justice for clean sport.”
Olympic athletes including James Guy and Adam Peaty took to X (formerly Twitter) to express their reactions to the reports. Other swimmers to already react include Leon Marchand and Allison Schmitt.
Suspicious that they decide to release this right before the Paris Olympics? Western defamation tactics at it yet again.
Drugs are a part of top level sport.
Just accept it
Carl Lewis, 1984 and 1988. You guys heard of him?
This is insanely relevant to the current discussion. Thank you for mentioning him twice in this one comment section.
I can think of a few differences in the situation. Mostly, Mr Carl retired almost 30 years ago and competed in a completely different sport. While this whole “China situation” deals with a bunch of swimmers – with which this site is primarily concerned – and who are currently active athletes.
Otherwise ya, thanks for mentioning it.
the 80’s, really? You cant do better than that?
I banish you from the Kingdom of Gondor.
The cover-up is worse than the crime.
The Countries that defend WADA have something to hide
Which countries defend WADA?
Australian swimmer Shayna Jack, who served a suspension for doping, posted nearly the same message on her Instagram. She served her suspension, missed Tokyo, and is now back swimming. Meehan posted that most elite athletes get one or maybe two Olympics in their peak and dirty athletes rob the clean ones of those chances. Madisyn Cox tested positive over tainted vitamins that she took and was suspended for 6 months. Her vitamins were on the approved list and because of an error in the factory, she lost half a year of her career.
To not punish the Chinese swimmers is a disgrace. I don’t care if they knew or not or if it was a state-sponsored thing done without the… Read more »
Exactly this! Also, I believe the companies took responsibility and settled with Cox
If they did, good. If they did not, that is despicable. Either way, they should be publicly shamed and issue a public apology.
Would a potential WADA whistleblower be protected legally?
Yes.
SwimSwam would need to consult an attorney on Quebec provincial laws.
Depends, I guess. EU countries have laws protecting whistleblowers, incl. protecting their identity. So does Canada, as far as I know and WADA is based there.
But I guess it depends on where the whistle is blown…
Don’t be surprised in the upcoming days if a WADA off-site document storage facility catches fire.