WADA to hold special Board meeting over contamination case involving swimmers from China

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Montreal (Canada), May 14 (IANS) The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has decided to hold an extraordinary meeting of its Foundation Board to discuss the contamination case involving swimmers from China. WADA said on Monday that the meeting will be held virtually at 07:00 EDT on Friday after WADA's Executive Committee (ExCo) already met regarding the case on April 25.

"The objective of the Board meeting is to provide members with the opportunity to be further informed on this important matter by WADA experts and to be able to ask any questions that they may have," it said.

WADA Executive Committee members and media were invited to observe the meeting, reports Xinhua.

Earlier, WADA had stood firmly by the results of its scientific investigation and legal decision concerning Chinese swimmers in the wake of reports that many top Chinese swimmers had failed dope tests before the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Chinese officials claim it was due to environmental contamination.

WADA stuck to the stance after reviewing a documentary released by German broadcaster, ARD, about an alleged mass doping case concerning Chinese swimmers. The agency also announced that it would hold a virtual media conference on Monday to clarify the misinterpretation, with WADA president Witold Banka, among other key officials of the agency, on hand to answer media questions.

A group of Chinese swimmers tested positive for TMZ in early 2021 after inadvertently being exposed to the substance through contamination. The WADA Science Department reviewed this case thoroughly in June and July 2021 and concluded that there was no concrete basis to challenge the asserted contamination. Following some misleading and potentially defamatory media coverage this week, the agency has provided information to clarify and reserved its right to take legal action as appropriate.

--IANS

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