A Chinese doping scandal rocks Olympic swimming and clean sport Boston 25 News [Video]

A fresh doping scandal rocked Olympic swimming Saturday after revelations that 23 Chinese swimmers, including gold medalists and world record-setters, tested positive for a banned substance in 2021 and were never punished.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), after three years of silence, acknowledged the positive tests, but sided with China’s anti-doping body, which claimed that all 23 swimmers unknowingly ingested small amounts of the substance and were therefore innocent.

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), however, accused WADA and its Chinese counterpart of “secretly [sweeping] these positives under the carpet”; and investigations by The New York Times and German broadcaster ARD raised questions about WADA’s handling of the matter and suspicions of a cover-up.

Travis Tygart, the USADA CEO, called the findings “crushing” and “devastating,” and said in a strongly-worded statement that clean athletes “have been deeply and painfully betrayed by the system.”

Details of the Chinese doping scandal

The positive tests all stemmed from a domestic meet at which China’s …