Doping-Investigator backs WADA's handling of Chinese swimmers case

(Reuters) - An investigator has backed the World Anti-Doping Agency's handling of a case involving 23 Chinese swimmers who failed drug tests weeks before the Tokyo Games and said WADA had not been complacent nor shown bias towards China.

Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, who was handpicked by the global anti-doping agency, said in July WADA did not mishandle the case involving the swimmers, who tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) but were cleared by a Chinese investigation.

Cottier reiterated those findings in his final report on Thursday but also criticized WADA for failing to challenge Chinese anti-doping authorities (CHINADA) for not following all of the procedures laid down in its anti-doping standard.

"Nothing in the file - which is complete - suggests that WADA showed favoritism or complacency, or in any way benefited the 23 swimmers who tested positive for TMZ," Cottier said in the conclusion of his 59-page report.

He also found WADA's decision not to appeal CHINADA's decision not to bring forward anti-doping rule violations against the swimmers "reasonable".

CHINADA had said the swimmers were inadvertently exposed to TMZ -- a medication that increases blood flow to the heart -- through contamination. It said traces of the drug were found in the kitchen of the hotel they were staying, and the case was not made public.

WADA's science department then determined that scenario was plausible.

The case prompted a backlash from athletes and national anti-doping authorities, who questioned WADA's processes and complained about a lack of transparency in the case.

WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said in a statement on Thursday that Cottier's report had "unambiguously stressed that WADA's review was thorough, professional and followed the rules".

"Above all, (Cottier) reiterated that WADA showed no bias towards China and that its decision not to appeal the cases was reasonable based on the evidence."

Travis Tygart, the CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Authority (USADA) and an outspoken critic of WADA's handling of the case, was not satisfied with the report's conclusions.

"While WADA management wants to close the book on this scandal regarding 23 positive TMZ cases by Chinese swimmers, the full report released today by WADA’s investigator only validates our concerns and even raises new questions that must be answered," he said.

"The ongoing failure to investigate and to answer the critical question of whether the 23 positive tests were due to contamination or intentional use will haunt athletes around the world for years to come."

(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter Rutherford)