The FBI has launched an investigation into a case of suspected doping conspiracies involving 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance in 2021, despite being allowed to compete in international competitions. The House Committee on China requested that the Justice Department and the FBI look into the matter using a federal law that allows investigations into such cases regardless of where they occurred.
World Aquatics, the governing body for swimming, confirmed that its executive director, Brent Nowicki, had received a witness subpoena from the United States government. Nowicki is currently coordinating a meeting with government officials to determine if he will need to testify before a Grand Jury. However, World Aquatics did not disclose any further details about when or where Nowicki was served the subpoena or which office is handling the investigation.
The news of these positive tests only surfaced earlier this year when reports from the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD shed light on the case. Despite testing positive for a banned heart medication just prior to the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, these Chinese swimmers were still permitted to compete. Chinese authorities attributed the positive tests to food contamination, which was accepted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Nowicki’s testimony could provide valuable insights into WADA’s decision-making process and how it handles cases involving banned substances in international swimming competitions. As such, it remains to be seen whether Nowicki will ultimately decide to testify before a Grand Jury or whether he will work out a deal with U.S. officials to avoid appearing in court altogether.
