Chinese athletes are not guilty of positivity, the US media broke the news list, and WADA reprimanded the double standard?
On the eve of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, some U.S. media outlets released a list of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for doping before the games, including Chinese swimming stars Zhang Yufei and Wang Shun. The revelation immediately sparked an uproar at home and abroad, questioning whether Chinese athletes had violated the rules by using banned drugs and thus gaining an unfair competitive advantage.
In the face of accusations from the American media, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) quickly responded. WADA's general counsel Wenzel said at a press conference that according to the provisions of the World Anti-Doping Code, the positive result of the Chinese athlete was caused by environmental pollution, which is a no-fault situation, so there is no penalty and no violation has been formed. Wenzel explained that in this case, WADA does not need to force the disclosure of relevant information, and that it is inappropriate for the US media to expose the list without authorization.
Even more shocking, Wenzel pointed out that the US Anti-Doping Agency had a clear double standard in similar circumstances. "The U.S. side has made it clear that if an athlete has no intention of taking it and does not receive a benefit, he should not be punished or given unnecessary attention," he said. But now we are being blamed, and that is a paradoxical approach. ＂
To prove himself, Wenzel gave a vivid example. In 2014, more than 10 U.S. athletes tested positive for doping, which was found to be due to the consumption of contaminated meat. By the previous standards of the US side, these athletes should have been exempt from punishment. But not only did they not receive any punishment, they did not even have a temporary ban.
Wenzel condemned: "The way the United States treated its own athletes at that time was completely different from the attitude towards Chinese athletes now. Such a clear double standard is unacceptable. He called on the United States and other countries to treat similar issues equally and uphold the principle of fairness and justice.
Wenzel's statement immediately sparked a strong backlash from public opinion. Many people have questioned why WADA did not take the initiative to disclose the relevant information in the first place, but waited until it was exposed by the US media to give an explanation, if the positive results of the Chinese athletes were really caused by environmental pollution?
On the other hand, there are quite a few people who support Wenzel's view. They believe that both Chinese and American athletes should not be criticized and punished too much as long as they are not at fault. The disclosure of private information about Chinese athletes by the US media not only violates their right to privacy, but also violates sportsmanship.
This is not the first time WADA has been accused of double standards. As early as 2016, the then WADA president Craig Reddy was exposed to the treatment of Russian athletes too leniently, which caused strong dissatisfaction in the international community. Some people believe that WADA, as an international organization, will inevitably be subject to political pressure from different countries when dealing with these sensitive issues, which will lead to the consistency and fairness of decision-making being questioned.
Coincidentally, this incident has once again raised questions about WADA's authority. Some sports experts have called for the WADA to further refine its anti-doping rules, eliminate possible double standards, and truly treat all countries and athletes equally. Only in this way can WADA gain more international credibility.
This turmoil is far more than just a matter for WADA. It also reflects the current tensions in Sino-US relations. Some observers have pointed out that the US media's publication of the positive list of Chinese athletes is likely to be motivated by some political motives and is intended to continue to exaggerate the so-called "China threat theory." WADA's response will inevitably be seen as exonerating China.