Moolenaar: 'World Anti-Doping Agency Has Lost the Trust of the US'
The New York Times reported yesterday that the Biden Administration withheld funding to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The decision came in response to WADA’s refusal to investigate the Chinese Communist Party coverup of more than two dozen Chinese swimmers who tested positive for performance enhancement drugs one month before the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Over a dozen of these swimmers ultimately competed in the Olympic Games, winning several medals, including gold.
Following the announcement, Chairman John Moolenaar (R-MI) released the below statement,
“The U.S. decision to withhold funding from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is a critical first step toward accountability and reform. This funding freeze sends a clear message: the U.S. will not bankroll corruption. Last year, Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi and I called on the FBI to investigate the cover-up of 23 positive PED tests of Chinese athletes by CCP and WADA officials, and introduced a bipartisan bill to hold WADA accountable. WADA has lost the trust of the United States government, and I look forward on working in a bipartisan way to pass the Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act in the 119th Congress. This will ensure fair competition and transparency in international sports.”
Background:
Ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a prohibited substance, trimetazidine, but continued to swim after the Chinese anti-doping agency delayed reporting these samples and the World Anti-Doping Agency refused to intervene. Despite U.S. and global anti-doping officials presenting strong evidence to WADA, officials neglected to open an independent review at that time.
Curiously, WADA also received $2 million in excess funds from the Chinese government that year. Some of the Chinese swimmers who were doping proceeded to medal in events, calling into question the validity of the Olympic Games and the credibility of the International Olympic Committee.
In May 2024, Chairman Moolenaar and Ranking Member Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) called on the U.S. Department of Justice and the International Olympic Committee to launch a formal inquiry, writing to FBI Director Wray, “This scandal raises serious legal, ethical, and competitive concerns and may constitute a broader state-sponsored strategy by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to unfairly compete at the Olympic Games in ways Russia has previously done… It is imperative to assess whether these alleged doping practices were state-sponsored, which could warrant further diplomatic measures by the United States and the international community. Furthermore, with less than 100 days until the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, understanding the full scope of the scandal is critical in ensuring our U.S. athletes are competing in a fair competition.”
In July 2024, Chairman Moolenaar and Ranking Member Krishnamoorthi alongside Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), introduced the Restoring Confidence in the World Anti-Doping Agency Act of 2024 to permanently provide the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) the authority to withhold up to the full amount of membership dues to the WADA if the organization fails to operate as a fair and independent actor to ensure athletes are competing in drug-free Olympic and Paralympic Games.