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Lawmakers Target World Anti-Doping Agency as Olympic Athletes Look at China With Suspicion

After a shocking report revealed that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance before the Tokyo Olympics, lawmakers in Washington are looking to make some changes to the agency that let them off the hook.

Nicolo Martinenghi (Italy) and Nic Fink (USA) competes in men's 100-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
Nicolo Martinenghi of Italy competes in the men’s 100-meter breaststroke final at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Martin Meissner/AP

As the Olympics heat up in Paris, lawmakers in Washington are trying to make sure the Games are fair.

A bipartisan, bicameral group of lawmakers is introducing legislation that would audit the World Anti-Doping Agency to determine whether it’s operating free from the interference of other governments — and dangles the possibility of the United States withholding funds from WADA if the U.S. doesn’t at least get fair representation within the agency. (Of the annual contributions from foreign governments to WADA, the U.S. makes the largest, around $3.6 million.)

The group — led by Republican Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland in the Senate, and Republican John Moolenaar of Michigan and Raja Krishnamoorthi of Illinois in the House — aims to implement stricter testing standards and ensure there are no conflicts of interest on WADA’s executive committee.