Members of Congress send scathing letter to WADA over probe to find leaker in Chinese swimmer case

A bipartisan group in Congress sent a letter Thursday to the head of the World Anti-Doping Agency criticizing that group for opening an investigation into who leaked information that led to the agency clearing 23 Chinese swimmers after they tested positive for performance enhancers before the Olympics in 2021.

“While WADA claims that their motivations are innocent, it appears this investigation’s intent is to intimidate and suppress whistleblowers,” said the letter sent to WADA president Witold Banka, a copy of which was obtained by The Associated Press. “If these allegations are accurate, WADA is not defending clean sport but is continuing to defend a cover-up.”

WADA confirmed earlier this year it had launched “Operation Puncture” to learn about the leak and what motivated it, but denied it was looking for the person who blew the whistle.

The letter, from Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Chris Van Hollen and Reps. John Moolenaar and Raja Krishnamoorthi, is the latest in a yearslong string of hostility between WADA and the U.S. government, which has cut off its annual payments to the drug-fighting organization, demanding more transparency.

WADA spokesman James Fitzgerald offered a three-paragraph response outlining the history of the case and stating that while he did not have information about “Operation Puncture,” being conducted by the WADA Intelligence and Investigations department, “I can state that WADA I&I is not chasing whistleblowers but rather it is seeking to find out how the leak happened and what was the real motivation behind it.”

About the cases themselves, Fitzgerald said: “Politically motivated allegations of a cover-up were made without evidence and have ultimately been proven to be entirely false.”

The letter comes at a critical juncture for international sports in the U.S., with the World Cup coming next year and the Summer Olympics taking place in Los Angeles in 2028.

In 2024, U.S. authorities opened an investigation into the Chinese swimmers case, which has led to speculation that WADA officials are reluctant to come to the United States, worried they will be subject to subpoenas.

The letter asks Banka to answer a series of questions, including whether WADA will release all internal communications related to the swimmers’ case and the ensuing “Operation Puncture.”

WADA commissioned its own report on the handling of the Chinese swimmers case that concluded it was “reasonable” that WADA chose not to appeal the Chinese anti-doping agency’s explanation that the positives came from contamination.

That report has been widely questioned by critics who would like to see more documentation and information about the case.