An investigator has backed the World Anti-Doping Agency’s handling of a case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who failed drug tests weeks before the Tokyo Games and said WADA had not been complacent nor shown bias toward China. Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, who was handpicked by the global anti-doping agency, said in a preliminary report in July that WADA did not mishandle the case involving the swimmers, who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) but were cleared by a Chinese investigation. Cottier reiterated those findings in his final report on Thursday but also criticized WADA for failing to challenge Chinese anti-doping authorities (CHINADA) for not following all of the procedures laid down in its anti-doping standard. The case prompted a backlash from athletes and national anti-doping authorities, who questioned WADA’s processes and complained about a lack of transparency in the case. “The ongoing failure to investigate and to answer the critical question of whether the 23 positive tests were due to contamination or intentional use will haunt athletes around the world for years to come.”

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Persons: WADA, Eric Cottier, Cottier, ” Cottier, ” CHINADA, Olivier Niggli, ” Travis Tygart, ” Organizations: Tokyo Games, TMZ, U.S, Doping Authority Locations: China, Swiss