IOC pushes Utah officials, US Olympic leaders to persuade FBI to drop WADA probe as part of 2034 Games deal
A deal among the International Olympic Committee, Utah officials and U.S. Olympic leaders was struck to help Salt Lake City receive the Winter Olympics in 2034.
The International Committee (IOC) on Wednesday pushed Utah officials to end an FBI investigation into an alleged doping coverup involving the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Chinese swimmers as it celebrated Salt Lake City as the host of the 2034 Winter Games.
The entire deal for Salt Lake City to get the Games was contingent on Utah officials, including Gov. Spencer Cox, and U.S. Olympic leaders to lobby federal authorities to get the investigation dropped – a probe that has been the talk among American Olympic swimmers for weeks.
The IOC added a clause in the contract demanding the termination of the probe.
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"That was the only way that we could guarantee that we would get the Games," Cox said after the announcement, adding that if the U.S. doesn’t respect the "supreme authority" of WADA then "they can withdraw the Games from us."
The scandal broke out months before Olympians splashed down into the pool.
It was revealed in the spring that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned heart medication before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and were still allowed by WADA to compete. Five of the swimmers went on to win medals, including two gold. Eleven of the swimmers who tested positive ahead of Tokyo are set to compete in Paris.
WADA then cleared itself of any wrongdoing in handling the case involving the Chinese swimmers. A special prosecutor, appointed by the agency, determined that WADA’s decision not to punish the Chinese athletes was "reasonable" and didn’t show favoritism.
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WADA President Witold Banka said the special prosecutor’s investigation confirmed "that there was no impropriety connected to WADA’s handling of the case."
He said WADA's next step would be to meet with outside legal counsel to see "what measures can be taken against those that have made untrue and potentially defamatory allegations."
U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) chair Gene Sykes said some officials and athletes from other countries are worried that anti-conspiracy law would allow the U.S. to arrest or subpoena Olympic visitors.
Some officials "have been very anxious about what it would mean to the sports figures who came to the United States, somehow they were subject to uncertainty in terms of their freedom of travel," Sykes added. "And that is always concerning to people who don’t understand the United States."
The case can be investigated in the U.S. under federal legislation named for the whistleblower of Russia’s doping scandal at the 2014 Sochi Winter Games – called the Rodchenkov Act.
"We will work with our members of Congress," Cox told IOC president Thomas Bach ahead of the vote. "… We will use all the levers of power open to us to resolve these concerns."
Olympic legend Dara Torres told Fox News Digital earlier this month she lost all confidence in WADA amid the latest scandal.
"I 100% agree. They’ve completely failed athletes," Torres said. "I came from the era of the East German and then the Chinese, and there were random swimmers from different countries that were doping. First, overall, I don’t know how you have a conscious doing that because it should be equal ground.
"You shouldn’t feel great winning if you did it by cheating. And I feel like there needs to be more intricate testing to be ahead of the dopers and not behind the dopers. I know Travis Tygart, he’s the head of the USADA. He was actually very upset about that. He’s doing everything in his power to make sure that there’s going to be an even playing field and clean sport."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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