World Aquatics Shows How It Has Placed China Under Greater Scrutiny On Pathway To Paris
"Swimmers from China were the most tested athletes during this period. Since 1 January 2024, the 31 swimmers from China competing in Paris have each been tested at least 10 times by World Aquatics, with an average of 13 tests per swimmer."
World Aquatics has issued details of its "most comprehensive and rigorous testing programme" in the organisation's history ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.
The figures are released against a backdrop of the new China Crisis related to the circumstances of 28 positives returned by 23 swimmers in January 2021 before all were given the all clear on grounds set out by China itself, without challenge.
The 'targeting' of Chinese swimmers through more intense testing by international agencies since the end of the pandemic lockdown is obvious in the World Aquatics figures at the heart of its release.
Comparisons with other nations do not indicate that Chinese swimmers are more tested than their rivals, only that in the period between the start of the year and the start of the Olympic in Paris, China has been subject to more international scrutiny. The 23 positives were revealed by media on April 20 after German broadcaster ARD and its doping unit, together with the New York Times, revealed the details of an investigation into events in 2021 that had been kept confidential.
The swimming regulator notes the genuine effort to ensure it is increasing scrutiny in a nation that many feel has not been held to the same level of accountability at times during the past three decades:
Swimmers from China were the most tested athletes during this period. Since 1 January 2024, the 31 swimmers from China competing in Paris have each been tested at least 10 times by World Aquatics, with an average of 13 tests per swimmer. World Aquatics conducted a total of 418 tests through this programme. All Chinese swimmers have been tested out-of-competition at least eight times by World Aquatics, independently of any other anti-doping organisation and using a WADA-accredited laboratory based in Europe.
Including tests conducted by other anti-doping organisations, Chinese swimmers have been tested on average 21 times since 1 January 2024. Australian swimmers have been tested an average of four times in the same period, and USA swimmers an average of six times.
Important to note that those figures do not include national anti-doping agency tests, which is why many International swimmers point to the international statistics and note that they are tested every bit as much as, ion not more than, Chinese swimmers.
The World Aquatics statement in full:
World Aquatics today announced the successful implementation of the most comprehensive and rigorous testing programme in its history in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
This extensive initiative underscores World Aquatics’ commitment to ensuring clean sport and fair competition for all aquatics athletes.
The testing programme, designed and implemented by the International Testing Agency (ITA), encompasses a wide range of tests conducted both in and out-of-competition. In total, 2,145 anti-doping tests have been conducted by World Aquatics on athletes participating in the Olympic Games in Paris since 1 January 2024.
Including tests conducted by other anti-doping organisations, aquatics athletes competing in Paris have been tested an average of 3.4 times, with 4,774 taken in total. This is the most tests ever conducted by World Aquatics before an Olympic Games.
Testing Statistics | Anti-Doping Testing Figures for Pre-Games Testing Period of the Paris 2024, Tokyo 2020 and Rio 2016 Olympics
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Swimmers from China were the most tested athletes during this period. Since 1 January 2024, the 31 swimmers from China competing in Paris have each been tested at least 10 times by World Aquatics, with an average of 13 tests per swimmer. World Aquatics conducted a total of 418 tests through this programme. All Chinese swimmers have been tested out-of-competition at least eight times by World Aquatics, independently of any other anti-doping organisation and using a WADA-accredited laboratory based in Europe.
Including tests conducted by other anti-doping organisations, Chinese swimmers have been tested on average 21 times since 1 January 2024. Australian swimmers have been tested an average of four times in the same period, and USA swimmers an average of six times.
Testing Statistics | Eight largest National Olympic Committee (NOC) Swimming Delegations at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
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"It is our top priority that our athletes compete in a clean and fair competition," said Husain Al-Musallam, President of World Aquatics. "Our rigorous testing programme reflects our dedication to upholding the highest standards of integrity in aquatic sports and we are grateful for the ITA’s partnership in conducting it.”
The ITA will continue to operate an extensive in-competition anti-doping programme during Paris 2024 on behalf of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
World Aquatics also continues to work tirelessly to ensure the highest standards of integrity in aquatics competitions.
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The independent Aquatics Integrity Unit began operations on 1 January 2023 as part of sweeping governance reforms. The Aquatics Integrity Unit is chaired by Miguel Cardenal Carro, and its website includes a reporting platform for people to anonymously relay information about potential integrity violations in the areas of safe sport, competition manipulation, and disciplinary and ethical violations.
For more information about the anti-doping efforts carried out before the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, please visit the Aquatics Integrity Unit’s Paris 2024 Statistics page here. The Aquatics Integrity Unit website is here.
