中国反兴奋剂中心注意到近期美国反兴奋剂机构（USADA）负责人在美国国会听证会期间作出的严重失实言论。本次美国国会听证会期间，USADA负责人一如既往地断章取义、预设结论，肆意发表情绪扩大化的政治言论，公然对中国的反兴奋剂工作进行恶意抨击，在没有任何事实依据情况下无端指责中国运动员故意使用兴奋剂，污蔑中国反兴奋剂中心与世界反兴奋剂机构（WADA）共同“掩盖”中国游泳运动员兴奋剂检测结果呈阳性的事实，严重损害了中国反兴奋剂中心、WADA和全球反兴奋剂体系的声誉。USADA毫无遮拦的“长臂管辖”无疑是赤裸裸的霸凌行径和专横跋扈的写照，其借反兴奋剂事件搞政治操弄的险恶用心昭然若揭，也同其一贯标榜的公平、公正和诚信原则背道而驰，USADA妄图破坏反兴奋剂利益共同体努力构建起来的运行有效的世界反兴奋剂秩序，撼动甚至颠覆旨在公平一致地为全世界运动员服务的世界反兴奋剂治理体系，进而攫取全球反兴奋剂领导地位。对此我们表示强烈谴责和坚决反对。

对于USADA负责人在听证会期间提出的审查曲美他嗪污染事件案卷的请求，其目的就是要把《纽约时报》(NewYorkTimes)、德国电视一台（ARD）等境外媒体非法获取和擅自披露的案卷信息合法化，进而通过预设结论的所谓审查和调查，形成歪曲事实、误导公众的结论，实现其将污染事件政治化的目的。USADA负责人的审查请求违反了《世界反兴奋剂条例》，没有任何的法理基础，侵害了运动员的合法权益，我们绝不接受USADA和美国国会个别议员提出的公布曲美他嗪污染案卷的请求，也坚决反对USADA声称的重启调查的无理要求。

USADA负责人在国会听证会上谎称，经其所谓的“调查”，WADA公布的中国运动员兴奋剂检查数据全部是来自于中国反兴奋剂中心实施的检查，并妄言中国反兴奋剂中心未委托第三方实施检查，且只使用中国境内的兴奋剂检测实验室作为样本检测机构。此言论严重失实。事实上，中国运动员既接受中国反兴奋剂中心实施的检查，又接受国际单项体育联合会和其他有管辖权的反兴奋剂组织的检查。即使在新冠疫情流行期间，中国运动员依然会接受国际组织的检查。中国反兴奋剂中心不仅将国内检查的样本送至北京实验室检测，还连续多年主动将样本送至塞巴斯多夫、巴塞罗那、科隆、根特、巴黎、悉尼等境外实验室进行检测。从2018年至2023年送境外实验室检测的数量分别为3360例、2433例、2295例、7901例、7714例、9695例，总计33398例。分别占年度检查总数的17.26%、11.98%、16.31%、30.02%、36.94%、28.61%。同时，中国反兴奋剂中心还委托包括USADA在内的其他国家反兴奋剂机构、国际检查机构（ITA）和其他样本采集机构对在境外训练比赛的中国运动员实施检查，2018至2023年，分别在境外对中国运动员实施检查146例、306例、670例、1014例、1160例、685例，且样本均在境外实验室检测，包括上述实验室和美国的洛杉矶、盐湖城实验室。USADA负责人罔顾事实，公然故意在国会上发表虚假言论，以此诱导、攻击中国的反兴奋剂工作，其险恶用心昭然若揭，其自身诚信值得怀疑。此外，中国反兴奋剂中心在2023年共实施了29388例检查，与之产生鲜明对比的是，根据WADA公布的数据，USADA在2023年仅实施了7773例检查，与美国的人口数量、运动员人数、奥运代表团的规模和竞技体育水平极不相称。我们更惊讶地了解到，在东京奥运会前12个月内，有31%的美国运动员没有根据《条例》接受足够的兴奋剂检查。如此检查监控力度，如何能让全世界运动员相信公平？USADA是如何履职的？有何资格去指责WADA和中国的反兴奋剂工作？一个诚信都让人质疑的CEO如何让人相信他的所言所行？

兴奋剂污染问题是包括美国在内全球普遍存在的问题，污染事件在许多国家和地区都会发生。回顾过往，USADA在处理本国运动员兴奋剂案件时，经常以污染原因认定运动员无过错或疏忽，而对其免予处罚。USADA在认定污染物的来源时往往缺乏可靠证据，除了其声称的药物污染、肉类污染外，还有透皮吸收、接触宠物污染、接吻污染、性接触污染等，并且竟有一例氢氯噻嗪阳性来自于市政供水污染。试想如果市政供水能导致氢氯噻嗪阳性污染，美国每年会有多少名运动员发生氢氯噻嗪阳性？在近期发生的美国田径运动员埃里扬·奈顿（ErriyonKnighton）兴奋剂检测结果呈阳性案件中，USADA在巴黎奥运会国内预选赛开始前突然作出决定，宣称奈顿的群勃龙阳性结果是由运动员食用了受污染的肉类引起的，决定不对其实施禁赛处罚，并允许他继续参加即将到来的美国奥运选拔赛，从而为其争取巴黎奥运会参赛资格创造条件。众所周知，群勃龙是一种蛋白同化制剂，具有极强的提升力量和爆发力的作用，并不是常见的污染物质。近年来全球发生了数以百计的群勃龙阳性，而公开的信息显示，只有三名美国运动员因为主张食品污染而逃脱了处罚，其他阳性基本上都是基于4年禁赛的标准予以处罚。同时USADA负责人在WADA尚未接触案卷，上诉期限并未截止的情况下即宣称“正义得到了伸张”，我们认为这一处理结果和武断言论令人难以信服。由此也可以看出，USADA在面对类似的兴奋剂污染事件时，表现出典型的“双重标准”，一方面极力为本国运动员开脱，但另一方面却要求对中国运动员实施制裁，并多次指责中国反兴奋剂中心和WADA一起“掩盖真相”。嘴上倡导着维护公平纯洁，实际行为却背道而驰。

USADA曾在发给中国反兴奋剂中心的邮件中提到“运动员应当受保护于一个有效运转的反兴奋剂体系”，这个体系应当是基于现行有效的《世界反兴奋剂条例》和国际标准的，以实现对干净运动员权益包括隐私权的尊重和保护，而USADA作为反兴奋剂组织的重要成员，应该将这种尊重与保护落实在行动上，确保在对待美国运动员与全球其他运动员的问题时标准一致。我们强烈呼吁USADA重新审视其在处理兴奋剂案件时的方法和原则，确保其行动与全球反兴奋剂体系的宗旨相符，并且在反兴奋剂工作中能够展现出应有的诚信和一致性，以重新获得国际社会对其工作的信任。

WADA成立25年来，致力于维护全球反兴奋剂体系的协调统一和完整性，《世界反兴奋剂条例》作为世界反兴奋剂体系的基石不断发展，全球反兴奋剂治理体系不断完善，治理能力不断提高，多数国家反兴奋剂机构都是在当前体系的基础上发展起来的，中国反兴奋剂中心也不例外。我们成长于全球反兴奋剂体系的根基，也始终通过独立、公正、专业的工作坚决捍卫这一体系的完整性和有效性。我们真诚地希望与所有利益相关方一起为维护全球反兴奋剂体系的稳定、团结和进步共同努力。

CHINADA Statement against the Politicization of the TMZ Contamination Case involving Chinese Swimmers

China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) has noted the serious misrepresentations made by the CEO of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) at a congressional hearing in the United States. During the hearing, the USADA CEO, as always, talking out of context with emotional and political rhetoric and mere preconceptions, made hostile attacks on China’s anti doping work, accused the Chinese athletes of intentional doping without any factual basis, and vilified CHINADA and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for jointly “covering up” the positive tests of the Chinese swimmers. This has severely undermined the reputation of CHINADA, WADA and the global anti-doping system. USADA’s brazen “long arm” jurisdiction is undoubtedly a manifestation of out-and-out hegemonism and imperiousness. Its intention to manipulate the case for political purposes is all too clear, which runs counter to the principles of fairness, justice and integrity it has claimed to champion. USADA is seeking to undermine the well-functioning world anti-doping order that the anti-doping community has worked hard to build and shake up or even subvert the global anti-doping governance system which is designated to serve the athletes all over the world equally so as to seize the global anti-doping leadership role. We strongly reject and oppose such move.

Regarding the request of the USADA CEO at the hearing to review the case file of the TMZ contamination case, its purpose is to legitimize the illegal access to and unauthorized disclosure of the information in the case file by media outlets including the New York Times and ARD, and then form distorted and misleading conclusions through the so-called review and investigation with already preconceived judgement, so as to reach the purpose of politicization of the contamination case. Such request, without any legal basis, is in violation of the World Anti-Doping Code and the legitimate rights and interest of the athletes. We will never accept the request for the publication of the case file made by USADA and certain members of the U.S. Congress, and we resolutely oppose the impudent request for reopening the investigation as claimed by USADA.

The USADA CEO claimed at the hearing that their so-called “investigation” confirmed the testing numbers from the Chinese athletes published by WADA are all through the Chinese anti-doping agency, and that China doesn’t have third parties come in to do the testing, and that CHINADA solely rely on the Chinese laboratory as the sample analysis authority. This statement is pure fabrication and severely deviates from the facts. The Chinese athletes are subject to testing from CHINADA, their International Federations and other anti-doping organizations that have jurisdictions on them. Even during the covid-19 pandemic, the Chinese athletes were still tested by international organizations. The samples collected in China are not only analyzed by the Beijing Laboratory, but are also proactively sent to many overseas laboratories by CHINADA, including the labs in Seibersdorf, Barcelona, Cologne, Ghent, Paris, Sydney, etc. for many years. From 2018 to 2023, respectively 3,360, 2,433, 2,295, 7,901, 7,714 and 9,695 samples were sent overseas for analysis. That’s 33,398 samples in total. These samples analyzed overseas account for 17.26%, 11.98%, 16.31%, 30.02%, 36.94% and 28.61% respectively of the total number of our samples collected annually. At the same time, CHINADA has also delegated other national anti-doping organizations (including USADA), the International Testing Agency and other sample collection agencies to carry out testing on Chinese athletes competing and training overseas. Between 2018 and 2023, such overseas tests on the Chinese athletes totaled 146, 306, 670, 1,014, 1,160 and 685 respectively. All these samples were analyzed in overseas laboratories, including the above mentioned laboratories and laboratories in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City in the U.S. The USADA CEO disregarded facts, and blatantly and deliberately made false statements in Congress to lead attacks on China’s anti doping work. Isn’t his malicious intention evident enough? Isn’t his own integrity questionable? In addition, CHINADA carried out 29,388 tests in 2023, a stark contrast to the 7,773 tests (according to the testing figures published by WADA) conducted by USADA in the same year, which is grossly disproportionate to the population of its country, large number of athletes, size of their Olympic team and their sport performance. We were even more surprised to learn that 31% of American athletes under the Code were not sufficiently tested in the 12 month-period prior to the Tokyo Games. How can athletes around the world be convinced of the fairness USADA claimed with such a low level of testing and monitoring? How does USADA perform its duties? In what position can USADA criticize WADA and China’s anti-doping work? And how can a CEO whose integrity is questionable convince people of what he says and does?  

The contamination of doping substances is a prevalent global issue, including within the U.S. Such cases occurred in many countries and regions. In retrospect, when dealing with doping cases involving American athletes, USADA often exempted the athletes from punishment by finding no fault or negligence on the grounds of contamination. However, it frequently lacked substantial evidence when determining the source of contamination. In addition to its claims of medicine and meat contamination, there were also cases of contamination to transdermal absorption and activities such as contacting with pets, kissing and sexual contact. There was even one instance where a hydrochlorothiazide positive result was attributed to contamination in the municipal water supply. Imagine how many athletes in the U.S. would test positive for hydrochlorothiazide each year if such contamination were possible through municipal water. In the recent AAF case of Erriyon Knighton, an American track and field athlete, USADA abruptly decided not to impose ineligibility on Knighton just before the start of the domestic qualifiers for the Paris Olympics, claiming that Knighton’s positive result for Trenbolone was caused by the meat contamination, and allowed him to continue to compete in the upcoming U.S. Olympic trials, thereby setting the stage for him to qualify for the Paris Olympics. It is well known that Trenbolone is a protein assimilation agent with strong effects on strength and explosiveness, and is not a common contaminant. Hundreds of Trenbolone positives cases occur around the world in recent years, and publicly available information shows that only three American athletes have escaped sanction by claiming food contamination, while the rest of the positive cases were essentially given sanction of four-year suspension.

At the same time, the USADA CEO declared that “justice was served” before WADA had access to the case files and the deadline for appeal had expired, which we find unconvincing and arbitrary. This demonstrates a clear case of double standards, where USADA vigorously defends its own athletes while demanding sanctions against Chinese athletes and repeatedly accusing CHINADA and WADA of “covering up the truth”. It advocates for fairness and integrity in words but contradicts itself in actions. In an email sent to CHINADA, USADA mentioned that “Athletes deserve a well-functioning anti-doping system”, which should be based on current effective World Anti-Doping Code and international standards to ensure respect for clean athletes’ rights including privacy. As a significant member of the anti-doping community, USADA should implement this respect and protection through actions, ensuring consistent standards when dealing with American athletes compared to other athletes around the world. We strongly call on USADA to review its approach and principles in dealing with doping cases, to ensure that its actions align with the objectives of the global anti-doping system, and to demonstrate due integrity and consistency in its anti-doping efforts in order to regain the trust of the international community in its work.

Since WADA was established 25 years ago, the efforts it has been making are to promote harmonization and integrity of the world anti-doping system. The World Anti-Doping Code and the international standards have gradually developed as the cornerstone of this system, which has been growing with better governance. Most of the NADOs have been established and developed on the basis of the current system, including CHINADA. We have grown from this global anti-doping system, and we have always resolutely defended the integrity and effectiveness of this system through our work based on independence, impartiality, and professionalism. We sincerely wish to work with all stakeholders to protect the stability, unity and improvement of the global anti-doping system.