The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) defended its dismissal of positive tests for a banned substance among three Chinese swimmers in 2016 and 2017, after a prior report showed 23 other swimmers from the country had avoided punishment in a separate case.
WADA said in April it would launch an independent review after the New York Times reported that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance before the Tokyo Games but were allowed to compete.
The latest report from the New York Times on Friday (June 14) said three of those 23 had also tested positive for another banned substance, clenbuterol, in 2016 and 2017, and that two went on to win Olympic gold in Tokyo.
WADA responded on Friday, saying the three athletes in question were found to have “levels of clenbuterol so low that they were between six and 50 times lower than the minimum reporting level” that is in place today.
It attributed the positive tests to contaminated meat.
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