NW Valley Times

On August 15, 2024, U.S. Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (AZ-08) sent a letter to the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), expressing serious concerns over recent developments involving the agency's handling of doping allegations.

“American taxpayers should not fund an organization that fails to uphold the principles of fairness and justice in sports,” said Congresswoman Lesko. “This letter sends an unmistakable message that we will not tolerate any compromise on the integrity of sports and the protection of our athletes. We are leading by example to ensure that WADA is held to the highest standards of accountability and transparency.”

The allegations involve 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for banned substances before the Tokyo Olympic Games in Summer 2021. Despite these positive tests, WADA kept the results secret until they were revealed by journalists. Additionally, two other Chinese swimmers, including one member of China’s 2024 Paris Olympic team, tested positive in 2022 for a banned drug.

"Those with nothing to hide would embrace the opportunity to answer questions and provide the information stakeholders need to feel confident that the rules are being evenly enforced," said U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis T. Tygart. "We deeply appreciate every effort to ensure accountability, transparency, and a strong global anti-doping regulator on behalf of clean athletes."

As highlighted in the letter, the U.S. government is WADA’s largest funding source, giving American officials a significant stake in ensuring that WADA operates with high standards of transparency and accountability. The letter requests answers regarding the investigation into the 23 Chinese swimmers’ positive tests and WADA’s processes.

Lesko is joined by Representatives Jeff Duncan (SC-03) and H. Morgan Griffith (VA-09) in sending this letter.

The correspondence follows a hearing earlier this year in the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee.