WADA Confirms Launch of Independent Compliance Review of USADA

The World Anti-Doping Agency confirmed it has begun a compliance review of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency with a preliminary review session in early August. The review, sent to the Independent Compliance Review Committee, is a result of the ongoing battle between WADA and the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) over the handling of the case involving the 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine in 2021.

WADA first told Reuters it intended to open this review in late July. It marks the first time WADA has taken the USADA to the Independent Compliance Review Court. Reuters described the choice as “a landmark move that could jeopardise the country hosting the 2028 and 2034 Olympics,” as any country participating in or hosting an international competition must comply with the anti-doping code.

Around the same time WADA announced its intention to open this review, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) inserted a clause into Salt Lake City’s host contract from the 2034 Olympics allowing the IOC the right to withdraw the Games if the “supreme authority” of WADA “is not fully respected.”

WADA and the USADA have been trading blows since the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD broke the story about the 23 Chinese swimmers in April. The results of the positive tests were not public until April, and USADA CEO Travis Tygart has since accused WADA of a coverup. The U.S. Congress has since launched a federal investigation into the matter, with Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt slamming WADA during their June testimonies before the House Energy and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigation.

In July, an independent prosecutor ruled that WADA showed no bias in its handling of the case. However, the U.S. can continue investigating the case under the 2019 Rodchenkov Act. The Act extends the U.S.’s jurisdiction to an international sporting competition with financial connections to the U.S. or where American athletes participated and allows the U.S. to bring criminal charges against people found to have violated anti-doping law. This Act is part of the compliance review brought by WADA.

When WADA announced the review, Tygart told Reuters in a statement “WADA is continuing the retaliation on those asking for answers from them for allowing China to sweep 23 positive cases under the rug. They’re running scared instead of being transparent and I guess we will see how independent the CRC is or is not. The whole system is crumbling under this WADA leadership and clean athletes deserve better.”

The next day, United States Olympic and Paralympic chief Gene Sykes backed WADA’s anti-doping code, telling reporters “I’ll say this as clearly as I can — we accept, we support, we subscribe to the world anti-doping code.”

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Troyy
1 month ago

WADA might go hard targeting the NCAA. A snippet below from a WADA statement quotes Tygart as saying that athletes can have a “doping vacation” in the NCAA because the anti-doping is so poor.

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Last edited 1 month ago by Troyy
Admin
Reply to  Troyy
1 month ago

I mean, yes and no. Athletes competing in the NCAA can still be in the WADA/USADA/AQUA testing pools and be tested by both authorities.

NCAA testing is pretty bad, but all of the internationally-relevant athletes are still being tested by the WADA-umbrella organizations, so not really sure what makes it a “vacation.” “Doping vacation” to me implies that being in the NCAA somehow excuses them from being in the WADA-umbrella testing pools, but it doesn’t.

I think those comments are probably all about pressuring the NCAA into signing The Code. That’s big money left on the table for the anti-doping organizations. It’s wildly impractical, IMO, to have every NCAA athlete having to adhere to the anti-doping code, though. The Whereabouts… Read more »

Troyy
Reply to  Braden Keith
1 month ago

The comments describing NCAA as a “doping vacation” are from Travis Tygart not WADA.

Here’s the original source:

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CHRG-116shrg52615/html/CHRG-116shrg52615.htm

Some Coach in Ohio
1 month ago

Can anyone do a deep dive into how this federal laws impacts WADA? Why are they so defensive over the intrusion of this law?

Patrick
1 month ago

Dopers’ dream.. continue with impunity while the ADAs conduct a pissing match.

SwimmerGuy
1 month ago

First and foremost, of course there needs to be accountability and penalty for anyone cheating. And if its state run, even more severe penalties.

With that said, WADA is becoming a farse. Let me get this straight. A bunch of athletes test positive and get rubber stamped that it was from burger and soda? Really? Im surprised they doing go with my dog ate it… From there, many US spokespeople rightfully asked “what they heck is going on here?” To which the WADA is effectively threatening to investigate other programs that challenge them.

And this becomes even more ridiculous knowing that WADA is sponsored but countries and the US is the largest contributor. So what exactly are we paying for… Read more »

Jeff
Reply to  SwimmerGuy
1 month ago

You forget the USADA totally disagree with your first statement. They LET ATHELTES COMPETE that had tested positive and asked them to spy on others. This seems like a really good reason to launch an investigation into USADA.
What do you want for your ‘tax dollars’, a chance to keep cheating!

FST
1 month ago

I mean… shouldn’t there be a compliance review of WADA and CHINADA as well? RUSADA? Allt he ADAs, while you’re at it.

Tracy Kosinski
1 month ago

Rats!

Koen
1 month ago

One the one hand, looks like punishing the US for asking questions. On the other, the US has some funny history of where it thinks its authority extends to and it would be par for the course if it was throwing stones in a glass house. Let’s see what remains standing of WADA and USADA credibility after this

Sapiens Ursus
Reply to  Koen
1 month ago

Question: how has USADA undermined WADA’s “supreme authority”? I don’t recall any specific course of action being demanded or recommended by WADA pertaining to the handling of the chinese cases, rather a general broad concern was expressed about transperency.

It was only with WADAs agressive finger pointing response to that the whole think blew up into a diplomatic row atttacting congress and what not.

I don’t get the finger pointed at USADA like they actually did much of anything. WADAs response has been textbook Streisand effect

Nep
Reply to  Sapiens Ursus
1 month ago

FBI, US federal organizations have left the chat

Argentina on top 🇦🇷
1 month ago

Wait until WADA find out that Caeleb Remel was granted 8 TUEs by USADA…

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About Sophie Kaufman

Sophie Kaufman

Sophie grew up in Boston, Massachusetts, which means yes, she does root for the Bruins, but try not to hold that against her. At 9, she joined her local club team because her best friend convinced her it would be fun. Shoulder surgery ended her competitive swimming days long ago, …

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