Chinese generosity in lead-up to cleared doping tests reflects its growing influence on WADA

By EDDIE PELLS
AP National Writer

In the two years before the World Anti-Doping Agency cleared 23 Chinese swimmers of doping allegations, that country’s government contributed nearly $2 million in additional funding to WADA programs, including one designed to strengthen the agency’s investigations and intelligence unit. The Associated Press obtained confidential minutes from meetings of the WADA executive committee that lists China as having given $993,000 in 2018 and $992,000 in 2019, two years that coincided with one of its Olympians being elected as a vice president. There is no indication from the documents AP reviewed that the money was donated in expectation of a quid pro quo to gloss over positive drug tests.