China reaffirms commitment to global anti-doping system

PARIS, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) has voiced its strong support for the World Anti-Doping Agency and the global anti-doping system.

CHINADA released a statement on Thursday following the 142nd session of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Paris, where Salt Lake City was awarded the right to host the 2034 Winter Olympics.

But IOC officials warn that Salt Lake City's hosting rights could be revoked if U.S. lawmakers and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) continue to challenge the authority of WADA.

John Coates, chairman of the IOC's legal affairs commission, said the host city contract with Salt Lake City had been altered to allow the IOC to remove the Games if U.S. authorities did not respect the "supreme authority" of WADA.

"China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) welcomes the IOC decision and looks forward to working with all stakeholders to support WADA in implementing independent, fair, harmonized and effective governance worldwide," CHINADA said in the statement.

CHINADA criticized USADA, saying it "instigated 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 using its domestic judicial and administrative means through the 'jurisdiction' granted by the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act."

"This action has not only seriously damaged the legitimate rights and personal safety of all relevant persons, including Chinese swimmers, but would also inevitably undermine the globally coordinated anti-doping legal framework, disrupt the effective world order in anti-doping that the stakeholders community has worked hard to build, and destroy the global anti-doping governance system which aims at fairly and consistently protecting clean athletes around the world," it said.

"We would like to reiterate that CHINADA has grown up from the global anti-doping system, and we would always resolutely defend the integrity and effectiveness of this system through our work based on independence, impartiality, professionalism and openness. It is our sincere hope that through sport we can build a bridge of trust and work together with all stakeholders for the stability, collaboration, harmonized development and improvement of the global anti-doping governance system," it concluded.