On Wednesday, July 31, bipartisan lawmakers from both chambers of the United States Congress introduced the “2024 Confidence Restoration in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act,” urging the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to undergo reforms to ensure a fair and transparent competitive environment for athletes.
The bill was co-sponsored by John Moolenaar, the Chairman of the House Committee on Combating the Chinese Communist Party and a Republican Congressman, along with Raja Krishnamoorthi, the Chief Democrat of the committee, Chris Van Hollen, the Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee, and Marsha Blackburn, a Republican Senator.
This legislation permanently authorizes the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to withhold all U.S. dues to WADA if the agency fails to guarantee fair and independent participation of athletes in drug-free Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The United States is the largest donor to WADA, making this bill a powerful tool in ensuring accountability and integrity in sports.
Chairman Moolenaar stated, “Athletes worldwide should compete on a level playing field in fair and just Olympic and Paralympic Games. This bipartisan legislation sends a strong message of support from the U.S. Congress to athletes competing with integrity.”
Chief Democrat of the committee, Raja Krishnamoorthi, emphasized the importance of instilling confidence in athletes, audiences, and fans globally by providing a level playing field across various sports, including the Olympics and Paralympics. The bill aims to uphold the integrity of these events by enforcing anti-doping standards effectively.
Senator Blackburn expressed that as the largest financial contributor to WADA, the United States should have confidence in WADA’s ability to regulate the illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs. The legislation aims to ensure fair opportunities for all athletes, regardless of their sport or nationality.
The Senate Appropriations Committee’s Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee has jurisdiction over ONDCP and provides funding to WADA.
Senator Chris Van Hollen, the Subcommittee Chairman, asserted, “Our Olympic athletes should compete in a clean environment. But due to WADA’s lack of transparency and accountability, they have lacked this confidence for too long… Our bipartisan, bicameral bill will help restore that confidence and ensure fair competition for athletes worldwide.”
The bill authorizes ONDCP to utilize all available tools to ensure WADA fully implements all governance reforms, including appropriate conflict of interest policies and representation of independent athletes or their representatives from the U.S. and other democratic countries in WADA decision-making bodies.
In April this year, The New York Times reported that a month before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics opening, 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for doping. The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency claimed the athletes unknowingly consumed contaminated food, a claim accepted by WADA, enabling the swimmers to continue competing.
Over ten swimmers participated in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, winning a total of five medals, including three gold medals.
On May 21, the House Committee on Combating the Chinese Communist Party requested the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to investigate the case under federal law.
In a letter to the DOJ and FBI, the committee highlighted that the scandal raised serious legal, ethical, and competitive issues and could bolster broader national support for the banning of doping by the Chinese authorities.
Former Chinese sports doctor Xue Yinshan, residing in Germany, confirmed in an interview with Voice of America in April that the use of banned substances by Chinese athletes is a widespread practice supported by the Chinese authorities.