WASHINGTON – The United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) on April 23 called for an overhaul of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) and an independent investigation into Chinese swimmers testing positive before the Tokyo Olympics.

Wada has continued to refute accusations from Usada chief Travis Tygart of covering up 23 Chinese swimmers testing positive for prescription heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ), which can enhance performance.

Usada, as a result, believes that no questions about Wada or China’s anti-doping agency (Chinada) were “satisfactorily answered” in Wada’s news conference on April 22.

“The selective and self-serving application of the rules we heard about yesterday destroys public trust in the authenticity and value of the Olympic and Paralympic movement,” a Usada statement said. “Learning that different rules can be applied to different countries sours the commitment of those who are vital to its ongoing viability, including the world’s best athletes, fans, sponsors and the next generation of athletes.”

Wada, however, insisted that it stood by the decision not to challenge Chinada findings that the swimmers had unwittingly ingested the substance from food at a meet, a result accepted by World Aquatics that allowed the Chinese swimmers to compete in Tokyo.

“Wada reviewed this case professionally and thoroughly, both from a scientific and legal perspective,” it said.

Several of the swimmers won medals at Tokyo with some set to compete at the July 26-Aug 11 Paris Olympics.

Wada could have taken the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but president Witold Banka said there was no credible evidence to dispute the Chinada finding.

“So far, despite all the attention created around this story, nobody has been able to produce any evidence that would allow a successful prosecution of these cases,” it added.

Usada, however, called Wada’s inaction a “failure” of the entire anti-doping system.

“We urgently call on governments and sport leaders to step up and immediately undertake action to ensure that real independence, oversight and accountability are created in the global anti-doping system... so that the world can have trust and confidence in the system and those who lead it,” Usada said.

“An immediate first step to repairing the damage of this cover-up is for governments to appoint an independent prosecutor to review the entire case file of the 23 positive tests and ensure that justice is delivered.”

Usada also wants the governments in the Wada executive committee and on the Foundation Board to launch a review into the positive tests and “overhaul” Wada to prevent any repeat before the Paris Olympics.

“All athletes, sponsors and fans of the Olympic and Paralympic movement deserve a real global guard dog that has the teeth and the determination to apply the rules uniformly and fairly,” it added. AFP