Chinese Athlete Tang Muhan's Controversial Clearance

Tang Muhan, a 20-year-old Chinese swimmer, is set to compete in the 200-meter freestyle relay in Paris. In 2022, she and fellow athlete He Jun tested positive for a banned steroid. Normally, such a result entails suspension, public disclosure, and hearings. However, their cases were handled secretly by the Chinese anti-doping agency, which claims the steroid came from contaminated hamburgers. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted this claim despite skepticism. This isn't an isolated incident; past cases involving Chinese swimmers also involved secretive handling by the authorities and were accepted by WADA. The narrative raises questions about transparency and accountability in international sports regulations.