Austin News

U.S. Senate Commerce Committee Ranking Member Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued a statement regarding the Senate Appropriations Committee’s Fiscal Year 2025 Financial Services and General Government (FSGG) Appropriations Act. The bill includes a provision aimed at holding the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accountable for allowing Chinese swimmers, who tested positive for banned performance-enhancing drugs, to compete in the summer Olympics.

“The World Anti-Doping Agency should not see a dime of U.S. taxpayer money until WADA is fully transparent about the swimmer doping scandal,” Cruz stated. “WADA is refusing to hold certain athletes accountable for cheating. It’s infuriating to turn on the Paris Olympics and see events with Chinese swimmers who have blatantly run afoul of rules meant to protect the integrity of competition. I commend Senators Murray, Collins, Van Hollen, and Hagerty for including language in this funding bill to ensure WADA quickly returns to its mission of providing worldwide, independent anti-doping oversight across all athletic competitions.”

In April, The New York Times detailed how 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned substance Trimetazidine prior to the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games. Following these tests, WADA declined to make them public or challenge the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency’s (CHINADA) assertion that the swimmers accidentally ingested the banned drugs during a hotel stay. The swimmers won several medals, including three golds.

In June, Sen. Cruz was joined by Commerce Committee Chairwoman Maria Cantwell in demanding WADA provide documents regarding the 2021 doping case and called for action to guarantee fair competition for Team USA during the upcoming Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“WADA’s decision to accept CHINADA’s findings stands in stark contrast to its decision to challenge an initial exoneration by the Russian Anti-Doping Agency of a figure skater who tested positive for Trimetazidine because of ‘food/environmental contamination’ less than six months later,” they wrote.

“The Russian figure skater was ultimately disqualified from the 2022 Olympic Winter Games and sanctioned with a four-year period of ineligibility. Meanwhile, many of the same Chinese swimmers who tested positive for Trimetazidine before the 2021 games are expected to compete in Paris this summer.[…]

“Athletes are rightly concerned about fair competition at the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games. It is imperative that WADA do everything in its power to ensure fair competition.”

Sens. Cruz and Cantwell requested that WADA provide all documents received from CHINADA related to the incident and its full case file; however, WADA has refused to comply.

WADA receives American funding under the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act. In 2023, the United States provided more than $3.4 million—15% of WADA’s total contributions from public authorities—which is nearly five times China's contribution.

The language included in the FSGG Committee report states:

World Anti-Doping Agency [WADA] Governance.—The Committee is deeply concerned over allegations that WADA failed to take appropriate action in response to positive tests of a prohibited substance (trimetazidine) among 23 Chinese swimmers in January 2021. The FBI and Justice Department have opened a criminal investigation into this matter. The Committee believes that WADA must take action through internal reforms, changes to its code, and deeper study of contamination cases.

The Committee expects WADA: (1) make detailed information about their handling of these cases public; (2) improve processes around alleged contamination cases; (3) notify their Executive Committee timely on such matters; and (4) undergo an outside audit.

The Committee allows ONDCP up to requested levels for WADA dues but requires ONDCP submit a spending plan before obligating funds. Future actions by WADA will influence final fiscal year 2025 funding decisions.