Swimming's governing bodies in Germany and Canada have given their reaction to the Chinese doping scandal that hit the headlines less than 48 hours ago.
News broke on Friday night that 23 swimmers from China tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) about seven months before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (which will be held in 2021). Chinese anti-doping authorities claim TMZ was inadvertently ingested at a hotel where the swimmers stayed. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) upheld China's original decision.
German Minister of the Interior Nancy Faisar“With just a few months before the Olympics, suspicions that have been ignored or even covered up must be fully investigated as quickly as possible,” said, who also oversees the sport. “If there are such serious suspicions of doping, it must be investigated.” independently conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Weisser was not the only voice in Germany to speak out. Christian Hansmann, the German Football Association's sporting director, Deutscher Schoem-Verband, said the report “reminds us that transparency is an integral part of the fight against doping.” “What a shortcoming,” Hansman continued [transparency] It shakes not only confidence in individual institutions, but also the credibility of the entire sport.
Germany ARD Public Radio It published a report on the same day that The New York Times published details of the investigation between China and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Swimming Canada, the country's governing body for swimming, also issued a statement via X (formerly known as Twitter):
“Swimming Canada is aware of recent reports of negative analytical results relating to another country's Tokoi 2020 Olympic team. Swimming Canada is committed to clean sport and strict enforcement of anti-doping rules to maintain a level playing field. Rules must be applied fairly across high-performance sports, and exceptions must be announced Transparent: Doping can deprive honest athletes of hard-earned moments, such as a podium finish and potentially life-changing opportunities. Swimming Canada is seeking more information from its national and international athlete partners such as the Canadian Olympic Committee and the world of the games Aquatics, the Canadian Center for Sport Ethics and Sport Canada It is important that athletes who train and compete in accordance with the principles of clean sport are respected.
Statement from Swimming Canada pic.twitter.com/gORdoNbKqZ
– Swimming Canada/Canadian Nation (@SwimmingCanada) April 21, 2024
