In a statement released on August 8th, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has cast serious doubts on the integrity and credibility of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). WADA accuses USADA of permitting athletes involved in doping to continue competing for extended periods, a practice that blatantly contravenes both the World Anti-Doping Code and USADA’s own regulations.

“This scheme orchestrated by USADA jeopardizes the very essence of fair competition that the Code aims to safeguard,” WADA declared in their statement. “Despite USADA’s assertions, WADA did not endorse this practice of allowing athletes who have violated doping regulations to compete for years, merely on the promise that they would assist in gathering incriminating evidence against others.”

WADA’s investigation has uncovered at least three instances where athletes, guilty of significant anti-doping violations, were permitted to remain in competition for years as undercover agents for USADA—all without WADA’s knowledge or approval.

WADA detailed several specific cases to underline the gravity of the issue. “In one instance, a high-profile athlete, who participated in Olympic qualifiers and international events within the United States, admitted to using steroids and EPO. Yet, this individual was allowed to continue competing until their retirement, without any public disclosure, disqualification of results, return of prize money, or serving of a suspension,” WADA revealed.

The agency refrained from naming the athletes involved, citing concerns for their safety and the potential for retaliation.

WADA did not hold back in its criticism of USADA, labeling their actions as “ironic and hypocritical.” The statement pointed out the contradiction in USADA’s readiness to suspect and criticize other doping agencies while simultaneously enabling drug cheats to continue competing under the guise of assisting in the identification of other violators.

This scandal raises serious concerns about the transparency and fairness of anti-doping practices in the United States, casting a shadow over the integrity of sports and the effectiveness of global anti-doping efforts.

Source:CGTN