Like at every other major tournament, doping fears are rearing their ugly head ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics as well. With allegations that the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) turned a blind eye to 23 Chinese swimmers’ positive drug tests at the last Olympics, the situation looks even more grave than before. Naturally, things are bound to get stricter this time around.

The swimming community has been rocked in recent months as disturbing news about the global anti-doping apex body’s incompetency came to light. The fact that the Chinese women’s team won the 4x200m free relay at the last Games only added more fuel to the fire, and swimming icons like Michael Phelps have stepped forward to urge the authorities to address the situation with more promptness. Fortunately, it seems like the petitions have caught the right ears.

Swimming star gives sneak peek into tight measures at the Paris Olympics

The 2021 Aon New Zealand National Championships backstroke gold medalist Hazel Ouwehand shared her experiences from Paris via an Instagram post yesterday. Captioned, “Could you pee in front of a stranger?” the post reveals how extensive measures are being implemented at this year’s Games and how athletes are being randomly selected to provide urine samples to make sure doping doesn’t become a major controversial factor during or after the Parisian tournament.

“I was training today in the morning, got back to the [Olympic] Village at 12, in time for lunch. Sat down to eat, got a tap on the shoulder: ‘You have been selected for drug testing’,” said Ouwehand as she expressed her feelings about it with an enthusiastic “Yaay!“, followed by drily adding, “I love peeing in front of strangers, makes my day“.

Later, she went on to give a behind-the-scenes peek into how she had to wait at the testing center to provide urine and blood samples. “It’s a little time-consuming process, I’ll admit. I had to have a drug test 2 hours ago, and I’m done now,” grunted the 24-year-old swimmer. However, despite all the formalities and constant complaining about how she had to expose herself in front of strangers to provide her samples, Hazel blurted out a cheerful “I’m free!“, which isn’t necessarily the reflection of how many athletes from other parts of the world feels about WADA’s steps.

More community members slammed WADA for its lackluster approach

Among the swimmers who have been the most vocal about the Chinese scandal is seven-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Ledecky of the USA. In May this year, the 800m Olympic gold medalist stated without beating around the bush that her trust in anti-doping policies is at an “all-time low,” as reported by USA Today. “It’s hard going into Paris knowing that we’re gonna be racing some of these athletes,” said the most decorated female swimmer of all time, before elaborating: “It’s tough when you have in the back of your head that it’s not necessarily an even playing field.” On the same issue, the USA’s anti-doping agency also clashed heavily against both the WADA and its Chinese wing.

The USADA raised several questions about why the entire thing was brushed under the carpet and why the WADA just accepted China’s claims that the failed swimmers showed such a result because of contamination that spread from the hotel kitchen. However, the WADA responded by stating that the allegations were “outrageous, completely false and defamatory“. Whatever things may have been,  the community will be agreeing with Ledecky to forward to all athletes enjoying a similar kind of challenge at the big rumble.

Do you think with so much attention on the matter, doping will be sufficiently tackled in Paris this time? Share your opinion with us!