Reports of Chinese swimmers testing positive for banned substance before Tokyo Olympics in 2021 ‘fake news’, Beijing says
- Sport was rocked on weekend when revelations were made that 23 participants had tested positive for trimetazidine
- Foreign ministry spokesman said WADA had ‘affirmed the findings’ the swimmers had ingested the substance unwittingly
Beijing on Monday called reports about 23 Chinese swimmers testing positive for a banned substance ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 “fake news”.
“The relevant reports are fake news and not factual,” foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said.
The sport was rocked at the weekend by revelations that the Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) – a prescription heart drug that is banned in athletes because it can enhance performance – before the Games three years ago.
The swimmers were allowed to compete in Tokyo after world governing bodies accepted China’s findings that they had ingested it unwittingly from food during a meeting in late 2020 and early 2021.
Several went on to win medals, including gold, and many are in line to compete at the Paris Olympics this summer.
World anti-doping agency WADA has said there was “a lack of any credible evidence” to challenge China’s version of events.
