Erriyon Knighton of the United States reacts after the men's 200m round 1 at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France, Aug. 5, 2024. (Xinhua/Lui Siu Wai)

The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) on Tuesday criticized the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for its handling of sprinter Erriyon Knighton's doping case, alleging a double standard by the U.S.

Knighton, a U.S. Olympic track and field team member, tested positive for the banned steroid trenbolone during an out-of-competition test on March 26. USADA decided not to impose any ineligibility on Knighton, claiming the positive result was due to contaminated meat. Knighton was allowed to compete in the Paris Olympics qualifiers.

"Hundreds of AAF cases for trenbolone have occurred around the world in recent years in total, and publicly available information shows that while the athletes involved in most of these trenbolone AAF cases were essentially given a four-year ineligibility, three American athletes have escaped sanctions by claiming food contamination," CHINADA said in a statement.

An independent arbitrator confirmed the contaminated meat in Knighton's case came from a Florida restaurant, but studies have shown that trenbolone is a potent anabolic agent and not a common contaminant.

"If there is indeed widespread beef contamination of trenbolone in the U.S. market, has USADA ever conducted an extensive market research and collected data? Has it warned the American athletes about the problem of meat contamination? Has it studied how much contaminated meat can cause a positive test?" CHINADA questioned in the statement.

USADA publicly declared that "justice was served" before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had even reviewed the case and before the deadline for appeal had yet expired.

"What is even more suspicious is that this statement has now been removed from USADA's website, along with its previous statements and releases on no-fault contamination cases. What are they trying to hide behind this unusual action?" CHINADA questioned.

When it came to contamination cases involving Chinese swimmers, however, USADA took an entirely different attitude, accusing CHINADA and WADA of "covering up the truth" and demanding sanctions against Chinese athletes in spite of the repeated clarifications by WADA and an independent prosecutor's report.

Earlier this year, a contamination case involving 23 Chinese swimmers, whose private details were disclosed by U.S. media, drew significant attention. These swimmers were already cleared of doping and had committed no violations in 2021.

CHINADA criticized the double-standard of USADA, whose "rhetoric about fairness and clean sport runs counter to its actual practices", pointing out that doping is not uncommon among athletes in the U.S.

Major U.S. sports leagues, such as the Major League Baseball (MLB), the National Basketball Association (NBA), the National Football League (NFL), and the National Hockey League (NHL), and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), have anti-doping standards conflicting with the World Anti-Doping Code.

"The NCAA, the cradle of the vast majority of the most successful American athletes, has not signed the Code," CHINADA noted.

WADA President Witold Banka noted in a recent meeting that "90 percent of American athletes, those in pro leagues and college sport, don't compete under World Anti-Doping Code."

In addition, the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, which took effect in 2020, asserts criminal jurisdiction over doping cases in international sports events outside its national borders, but excludes its domestic professional leagues, college leagues and other U.S. events.

"This is another obvious example of the double standards that the U.S. is practicing when targeting its anti-doping work towards American athletes and athletes from other countries," CHINADA stated.

"The U.S. has turned a blind eye to its long history of doping problems, but is obsessed with 'cross-border jurisdiction' and asserting sanctions against other countries.

"It seems that the accusation and attack on China and other countries is its tactic to deflect attention from the serious flaws in its own anti-doping work. This is sheer political manipulation and hypocritical double standards," CHINADA added.

In recent months, the U.S. Congress, USADA, and the U.S. media have taken a selective approach to contamination cases involving Chinese swimmers, attempting to mislead the international community and the public through fabrication and framing.

"They are trying to politicize anti-doping by urging the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to initiate a 'long-arm jurisdiction' over this case by opening an investigation through domestic judicial and administrative means. Such disgraceful and despicable attempts are not only a stark double standard, but are also wanton violations of the principles of fairness and justice."

CHINADA urged USADA to stop fabricating narratives, politicizing anti-doping efforts, and manipulating public perception. They called on USADA to align with global anti-doping standards and maintain integrity in its practices to regain international trust.

"We call on USADA to review its approaches and principles in doping cases to ensure compliance with the global anti-doping system's goals, demonstrating due integrity and consistency in their work," CHINADA concluded.

"This is the right way to regain trust of the international community in its anti-doping work."

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