World Aquatics Confirms U.S. Federal Investigation Into Chinese Doping Tests

The United States has launched a federal investigation into the Chinese doping scandal that saw 23 swimmers test positive for a banned substance in 2021 and still compete at the Tokyo Olympics later that year.

World Aquatics confirmed the investigation to The Associated Press (AP), noting that executive director Brent Nowicki was subpoenaed to testify in the investigation.

The confirmation of the investigation comes just over one month after a House Committee on China asked the Justice Department and FBI to investigate the case under a federal law that allows investigations into suspected doping conspiracies even if they occurred outside of the United States.

“World Aquatics can confirm that its executive director, Brent Nowicki, was served with a witness subpoena by the United States government,” World Aquatics said in a statement to The Associated Press. “He is working to schedule a meeting with the government, which, in all likelihood will obviate the need for testimony before a Grand Jury.”

World Aquatics declined to answer questions about which office was handling the investigation, and where and when Nowicki was served his subpoena, according to AP.

In April, news broke that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine at a training camp in early 2021 in the months leading up to the Tokyo Games.

Chinese anti-doping authorities (CHINADA) found Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) in the test results, and acquitted all the swimmers without penalty after finding that the samples were flagged as positive as a result of food contamination.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted CHINADA’s findings without an independent investigation. WADA, which launched an investigation after the news broke, has come under heavy criticism over its handling of the case, including being slammed at a U.S. Congressional Hearing that was led by United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) CEO Travis Tygart and included swimmers Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt testifying.

Eleven of the swimmers who tested positive in 2021 are set to compete at the Paris Olympics, which begin in just over three weeks. The most notable swimmers who tested positive were Tokyo Olympic champions Zhang Yufei and Wang Shun, and 2023 triple world champion and world record holder Qin Haiyang.