China to cooperate with independent investigation into how 23 swimmers tested positive for banned substance and competed at Tokyo Olympics
- Wada said on Thursday it would launch an independent review led by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier
- Compliance audit team also being sent to China to assess the nation’s anti-doping programme
China indicated on Friday it will cooperate with an independent investigation into the events that led to 23 Chinese swimmers avoiding sanctions after testing positive for a banned substance months before the Tokyo Olympics.
Wada said it would also send a compliance audit team to China to assess the nation’s anti-doping programme and invite independent auditors to join the mission.
“Chinada (China Anti-Doping Agency) will actively cooperate with the coming audit by Wada, and provide assistance where needed,” Chinada said in a statement.
“We noted that Wada has invited an independent prosecutor from Switzerland to review its handling of the no-fault contamination case involving 23 swimmers from China, which is a clear demonstration of fairness, openness and transparency of Wada.”
Calls for an independent investigation have grown since The New York Times reported 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ), a medication that increases blood flow to the heart and is used to treat angina.