The international swimming federation says its executive director has been ordered to testify as a witness in a U.S. criminal investigation into the case of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance in 2021 yet could continue competing.

The news comes just three weeks before the Paris Olympics where 11 of the Chinese swimmers who tested positive for the banned heart medication three years ago are set to compete.

The swimmers won three gold medals for China at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, just weeks after the World Anti-Doping Agency declined to challenge Chinese authorities’ explanation of food contamination at a hotel to justify not suspending them.

Those decisions, which World Aquatics separately reached also, were not revealed until reporting in April by the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD.

    • borari@lemmy.dbzer0.com
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      4 months ago

      Classic food poisoning. Wasn’t sick at all, just a touch of improved ability for the heart muscle to use glucose as a fuel.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldM
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    0
    ·
    4 months ago

    It’s really only a matter of time until countries just start genetically engineering or modifying their athletes anyway. And good luck regulating that.

    • Pretzilla@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      1
      ·
      edit-2
      4 months ago

      They already are through selection. China and Russia choose children with favorable genetics for a sport and groom them into competitors.

      Nothing illegal about the approach, it’s just creepy to see.