Investigation into Methandienone Contamination: WADA Questions Chinese Doping Practices

The global anti-doping agency (WADA) has announced the initiation of an investigation to clarify why athletes in China and other countries who tested positive for banned substances escaped sanctions by claiming unintentional ingestion of these substances through food. This announcement followed a report by the New York Times, which revealed a previously unknown case involving two top Chinese swimmers. These athletes tested positive for a potent steroid in 2022 but were acquitted at the end of last year after the Chinese anti-doping agency blamed contaminated hamburgers. This was the third incident in recent years where China cited food contamination as the cause of positive doping tests among its national swimming team members. In its statement, WADA confirmed that alongside investigating the two swimmers, it was also examining the cases of two other Chinese athletes in different sports. These two athletes, active in shooting and BMX racing, tested positive for traces of the same banned substance, methandienone, in early 2023. The Chinese anti-doping regulatory authority had conducted tests that detected methandienone in dozens of meat samples in the country, according to WADA. Ultimately, both the two other athletes and the two swimmers were acquitted of the doping charges. Following the Chinese investigation, WADA began its own investigation earlier this year to assess the circumstances, extent, and risk of meat contamination with methandienone in China and other countries.