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Tang Muhan's Doping Clearing: Controversy Explained

The New York Times

Tang Muhan, a 20-year-old Chinese athlete, is in Paris for the 200-meter freestyle relay. Despite previous doping allegations in 2022 involving steroids found in hamburgers, she was cleared by the Chinese anti-doping agency behind closed doors. This implicated secret suspension and clearing processes without public disclosure, raising suspicions. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) took the Chinese claim of contamination at face value due to insufficient evidence to disprove it. Historical patterns in Chinese anti-doping cases indicate a recurring theme of secrecy and leniency. Tang Muhan and others like her continue to compete under these controversial circumstances, questioning the robustness of global anti-doping vetting.

Highlights

• Tang Muhan is a 20-year-old Chinese athlete competing in Paris.
• She and her team won the 200-meter freestyle relay in record time in Tokyo.
• Tang and another athlete, He Jun, tested positive for a banned steroid in 2022.
• Both were secretly suspended and later cleared by the Chinese anti-doping agency without public disclosure.
• Chinese narrative claims the steroid came from contaminated hamburgers.
• The specific drug, metadone, is not commonly found in meat.
• WADA accepted the Chinese contamination explanation due to insufficient contradictory evidence.
• Chinese authorities assert strict anti-doping measures and deny intentional drug use.
• Similar secretive handling occurred with previous Chinese athletes' doping cases.
• Despite controversies, Tang Muhan is cleared to compete in the current Olympics.