Chinese Athletes Cleared of Doping Allegations

The New York Times

Chinese athlete Tang Muhan, known for her victory in the Tokyo Olympics' 200-meter freestyle relay, faces controversy due to a secretive anti-doping case. In 2022, Tang and another athlete, He Jun, tested positive for a banned steroid but were secretly cleared by the Chinese anti-doping agency (CHINADA). The narrative provided by Chinese authorities claimed the contamination occurred through hamburgers consumed during a training camp in Beijing. Despite skepticism from experts and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), who found the scenario unlikely, they could not disprove the claim. The secrecy and handling of this case, along with similar past instances involving Chinese swimmers, spotlight potential transparency issues in anti-doping processes.

Highlights

• Tang Muhan, a Chinese swimmer, is competing in Paris despite doping allegations.
• In 2022, Tang and He Jun tested positive for a banned steroid, Metadone.
• CHINADA secretly suspended and later cleared the athletes.
• Chinese authorities claimed contamination came from hamburgers eaten in Beijing.
• Experts found it unlikely for Metadone to be present in meat.
• WADA acknowledged skepticism but couldn't disprove the contamination claim.
• The case was kept secret, similar to past doping incidents involving Chinese athletes.
• A pattern observed with 23 Chinese swimmers previously testing positive for another drug.
• Chinese authorities maintain stringent anti-doping policies, despite these incidences.
• The handling of such cases raises questions about transparency in anti-doping protocols.