Less than 100 days are left until the Paris Olympics, as reported by the Epoch Times on May 23, 2024. On Wednesday, May 22, the US House of Representatives urged the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the International Olympic Committee to investigate the doping scandal involving Chinese swimmers before the Olympics, to prevent cheating and unfair competition.
Prior to the last Olympics, 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned substance Trimetazidine (TMZ) but were still secretly allowed to compete. Among these swimmers were Zhang Yufei and Wang Shun, gold medalists at the Tokyo Olympics, and current FINA Male Swimmer of the Year, Qin Haiyang.
The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, chaired by John Moolenaar and including committee members like Raja Krishnamoorthi, sent a joint letter to the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the International Olympic Committee.
In their letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and FBI Director Christopher Wray, the members wrote, “This scandal raises serious legal, ethical, and competitive issues and may represent the People’s Republic of China (PRC, CCP) implementing a state-backed strategy of unfair competition at the Olympics.”
“The urgency is to assess whether these suspected doping behaviors had state support, which may require further diplomatic actions by the United States and the international community,” the members stated. “With less than 100 days until the 2024 Paris Olympics, understanding the full extent of the scandal is crucial to ensuring fair competition for American athletes.”
These 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for Trimetazidine in January 2021. This drug, a cardiac prescription medication, can enhance endurance and shorten recovery time for athletes.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is the global body responsible for drug regulation in sports. It accepted the findings of an internal investigation by Chinese authorities, attributing the failed drug tests to contamination in hotel kitchens and the failure to follow standard protocols for temporary suspensions/public disclosures.
Despite criticism from the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), WADA vigorously defended its handling of the case.
Many athletes and advocates for anti-doping efforts are outraged. They suspect that with the support of Beijing authorities, the Chinese swimming team may be systematically using banned substances.
Moolenaar pointed out in a video statement that in the two years leading up to the Chinese swim team’s doping scandal, the Chinese authorities “inexplicably” donated nearly $2 million to WADA. This has raised concerns about the fairness of the Olympics and the credibility of the International Olympic Committee.
The members urged the International Olympic Committee to address this scandal, emphasizing that how the IOC deals with it will directly affect this summer’s Olympics and its commitment to fair competition for athletes worldwide.
Moolenaar called for independent investigations by US authorities and the International Olympic Committee.
He stated, “American athletes should know that they can compete on a clean, fair playing field at the Paris Olympics this summer.”