Wada cannot be trusted after doping scandal - Phelps

Michael Phelps, nan astir dressed up Olympian of each time, says nan World Anti-Doping Agency cannot beryllium trusted to enforce its policies.

The 38-year-old, a victor of 28 swimming medals crossed 5 Games, criticised nan organisation pursuing China's action of swimmers caught successful a doping scandal for this summer's Olympics successful Paris.

Wada confirmed successful April that 23 Chinese swimmers tested affirmative for trimetazidine - a banned supplier recovered successful bosom medicine - earlier competing astatine nan 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

But Wada accepted nan Chinese anti-doping agency's findings that nan swimmers were inadvertently exposed to nan supplier done contamination, clearing them to compete successful Paris.

"It is clear to maine that immoderate attempts of betterment astatine Wada person fallen short, and location are still profoundly rooted systemic problems that beryllium detrimental to nan integrity of world sports and athletes correct to adjacent competition, clip and clip again," said Phelps.

"As athletes, our religion tin nary longer beryllium blindly placed successful nan World Anti-Doping Agency, an organisation that continuously proves that it is either incapable aliases unwilling to enforce its policies consistently astir nan world."

The American was speaking astatine a legislature proceeding established to analyse nan anti-doping measures successful spot up of nan 2024 Olympics, astatine which Wada declined to testify.

Travis Tygart, nan United States Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) main executive, advised nan committee to reconsider its backing of Wada - which equates to £2.9m a year.

In response, Wada president Witold Banka criticised Usada for "politicising" nan case.

"The proceeding sought to further politicise a comparatively straightforward lawsuit of wide contamination that has been turned into a ungraded by a mini number of individuals, chiefly successful nan United States," said Banka.

"It was different illustration of nan World Anti-Doping Agency being dragged into a overmuch broader struggle betwixt 2 superpowers. As an independent and mostly method organisation, Wada has nary instruction to beryllium portion of those governmental debates."