“We want to see some change for the future.” These pointed words from seven-time gold medalist Katie Ledecky reflect widespread skepticism about the anti-doping measures taken by the Olympic authorities. The mistrust arose after allegations that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned substances months before Tokyo 2021. Initially, Chinese authorities attributed the incidents to food poisoning at a hotel, an explanation accepted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and supported by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), resulting in no sanctions. In response to widespread criticism, significant changes have been implemented ahead of the Paris Games. 

The ITA launched its “pre-Games” program a year earlier this year, indicating a proactive approach to addressing doping concerns. WADA has welcomed an interim report from an Independent Prosecutor investigating allegations surrounding specific swimmers. WADA has also announced plans to establish new laboratories in Paris as part of its commitment to enhancing anti-doping efforts. Furthermore, they affirmed ongoing collaboration with USADA, USOPC, and the US government to strengthen the global anti-doping framework continuously. Moreover, American swimmer Katie Ledecky raised her fingers to the issue not long ago.

The WADA supports Katie Ledecky’s wishes for a clean Paris Olympics

In a report published by olympics.com on July 24, 2024, they detailed how the International Testing Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency revealed that around 90% of athletes have been screened for doping at the 142nd IOC Session. This came alongside a press conference on Renter’s official YouTube channel where Ledecky stressed on the importance of PED-free Games. She said, “I hope everyone here (in Paris) is going to be competing clean this week. But what really matters also is: Were they training clean? Hopefully, that’s been the case. Hopefully, there’s been even testing around the world.” Ledecky emphasized how athletes around the world want transparency.

Ledecky added that athletes will be undeterred in their pursuit whether or not their competitors are cheating, “At this point, we’re here to race. We’re going to race whoever is in the lane next to us. We’re not the ones paid to do the testing,” so she hopes that the people follow their own rules. Now and in the future. In response to the allegations, WADA collaborated with various organizations to create a robust framework that enforced anti-doping on a global scale. President Witold Banka described the actions taken after the Chinese Anti-doping Agency no-fault contamination case. Banka said, as per the 9th July report by the interim prosecutor Eric Cottier, the “conclusions could not be any clearer: that WADA did not show any bias, undue interference or other impropriety in its assessment of the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency’s decision not to bring forward anti-doping rule violations.”

Moreover, WADA’s decision not to appeal the cases in the Court of Arbitration for Sport was indisputably reasonable, based on the evidence. The measures were in support of the steps taken by the ITA. After the doping allegation in Tokyo, the ITA program took a few steps. Firstly, they delegated refugee athletes with adequate reimbursement education and testing programs. Additionally, Individual Neutral Athletes (AINs), has undergone targeted and independent anti-doping tests for several months; and lastly, they have delegated Chinese swimmers with independent controls carried out throughout the year, increasing in frequency closer to the Games.

IOC said around 32,000 doping controls had been conducted till 17th July which was the cutoff date for the prelims and in disciplines particularly affected by doping, around 75% of athletes have been tested at least 3 times. Hopefully, these measures will be able to provide Katie Ledecky with confidence that this year there will be significant improvements as compared to Tokyo, where 23 swimmers were later caught doping. 

How did WADA handle the 2021 allegations?

After the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, 23 elite swimmers from China were found with banned substances TMZ or trimetazidine in their system. WADA initially accepted the narrative given by Chinese authorities that these tests were due to accidental contamination. Those traces were found in the kitchen of a hotel they were staying at. This created an extreme backlash as critics suggested a potential coverup that punctured the moral fabric and integrity of the Olympics. Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, said, “It’s crushing to see that 23 Chinese swimmers had positive tests for a potent performance-enhancing drug on the eve of the 2021 Olympic Games [in Tokyo].”

WADA later admitted that they knew of the positive results ahead of the 2021 Olympics in June of that year. This significantly tarnished the reputation of both the Olympics and WADA. Many athletes even called for permanent banning of swimmers accused of doping. Especially swimmers Zhang Yufei and Wang Shun, who went on to win gold, were faced with a world of outrage. British swimmer and Tokyo Olympics gold medalist James Guy wrote on X, “Ban them all and never compete again.” Even Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser called for an investigation of the case, saying, “This case is a slap in the face of all innocent and honest athletes.”

However, WADA eventually let the world know that they were offering the hook. Additionally, in a statement by WADA’s lead attorney Ross Wenzel, he detailed how WADA’s science department concluded that the TMZ contamination was a plausible explanation and there was no concrete evidence to call it into question. Due to this, the doubts persist amongst athletes and fans, which can only be dispelled during the Summer Games.