US Olympic chiefs call for truce in global doping storm

US Olympic chiefs called for an end to the feud between American anti-doping officials and the World Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday after fresh verbal sparring. Gene Sykes, the chairman of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), said WADA and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) had been “playing ping pong with media bullets” since revelations
US Olympic chiefs call for truce in global doping storm

US Olympic chiefs called for an end to the feud between American anti-doping officials and the World Anti-Doping Agency on Thursday after fresh verbal sparring.

Gene Sykes, the chairman of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC), said WADA and the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) had been “playing ping pong with media bullets” since revelations about a 2021 doping scandal in China emerged.

USADA has been a vocal critic of WADA over the past decade.

Tensions spiked this year after reports in April said 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but were cleared to compete at the Games.

US anti-doping chief Travis Tygart has consistently accused WADA of covering up the cases, which China blamed on unintentional food contamination.

Eleven of the 23 Chinese swimmers are in Paris.

The acrimony between WADA and USADA erupted into public view again on Wednesday, with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) warning US officials they could be stripped of the 2034 Winter Olympics if WADA was not respected as the “supreme authority” of the anti-doping movement.

“What we want to do is to cool the tempers and find a way for these organisations to constructively work better together,” Sykes told a press conference in Paris on Thursday.

Sykes said the dispute between the two agencies had arisen due to WADA feeling “threatened” by criticism by USADA and the body’s outspoken chief Tygart.

“As soon as one side comes out with a statement, the other side comes out with a statement,” Sykes said. “They have not been shy about throwing rocks at each other.”

WADA president Witold Banka, who has made strongly worded criticisms of USADA and Tygart, rejected the suggestion that he had been too “dramatic” in his responses.

“Everything that I said about the US anti-doping system and the role of USADA I did in a very calm way,” he said in a separate press conference.

“Our expectations to our stakeholders are to follow the rules. Our role is to make sure that our stakeholders are following our regulations, rules and have national legislation in accordance with our world anti-doping code.”

Banka was asked whether he would be willing to sit down with Tygart and discuss their differences.

“We are always very open for collaboration, and it’s obvious that they are one of our stakeholders,” he said.

“But of course, in the current situation, after all these defamatory comments, allegations, really I have to say, statements which are totally against of the principle of collaboration, it’s a very difficult situation and the relations are tough,” he added.

Sykes said he was optimistic that the two bodies would settle their differences.

“We believe there will be a solution to this dispute… (WADA and USADA) don’t agree yet but they really haven’t been talking to each other,” he said.

“We’re not trying to escape from the world anti-doping code. We’re trying to support it and make it stronger. And actually, I think that Travis Tygart and USADA would agree with that statement.

“And what we want to do is to if you will cool the tempers and find a way for these organisations to constructively work better together.”

Olympic chiefs on Wednesday awarded the 2034 Winter Games to Salt Lake City but warned the decision could be reversed if US authorities did not get in line.

Sykes said that situation would not arise.

“(It is an) amendment that allows the IOC to have an escape clause if the United States somehow undermines the world anti-doping code. We’re not going to do that,” he said. “We’re going to try to make it stronger.”

Banka rejected the idea that the amendment was designed to silence critics of WADA.

“It was not to cut criticism because we are always open for constructive criticism but it was to make sure that harmonisation of the anti-doping system is protected,” he said.

Total
0
Shares
Leave a Reply
Related Posts
Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Trump Virtually Tied With Harris In HarrisX/Forbes Poll And New WSJ Poll
Read More

Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Trump Virtually Tied With Harris In HarrisX/Forbes Poll And New WSJ Poll

Forbes Business Breaking Trump Vs. Harris 2024 Polls: Trump Virtually Tied With Harris In HarrisX/Forbes Poll And New WSJ Poll Sara Dorn Forbes Staff Sara Dorn is a Forbes news reporter who covers politics. Brian Bushard Forbes Staff Brian is a Boston-based Forbes breaking news reporter. Jul 27, 2024, 01:07pm EDT Updated Jul 27, 2024
Chilling moment hooded and masked figure paces outside house 20 minutes before two children were stabbed to death at Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop – as footage shows armed police preparing to raid the same property hours later
Read More

Chilling moment hooded and masked figure paces outside house 20 minutes before two children were stabbed to death at Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop – as footage shows armed police preparing to raid the same property hours later

Chilling footage has emerged of a masked figure pacing outside a house that police raided after a knifeman killed two children at a Taylor Swift-themed dance workshop in Southport. The person, wearing a green hoodie and a Covid-style face mask, can be seen walking back and forth outside the front door of the property around
Donald Trump Ally Criticizes His Rallies
Read More

Donald Trump Ally Criticizes His Rallies

Peter Navarro, a former trade adviser to President Donald Trump, criticized the GOP candidate's campaign rallies in an opinion piece yesterday, urging a strategic shift to include video clips and more policy content to secure more votes in the 2024 presidential election. In the Washington Times, Navarro argued that Trump "needs votes," stating that "the