Overview
- WADA acknowledged ongoing inquiries into leaked information and said the work followed a request from its athletes' council first communicated in May 2024.
- ARD reported the probe, described internally as "Operation Puncture," seeks to identify those who supplied documents about 23 Chinese swimmers to ARD and the New York Times.
- WADA criticized the ARD report as misleading, said the leaked files included confidential medical records of athletes including minors, and reiterated that no wrongdoing was proven in the 2021 cases.
- The Athletics Integrity Unit confirmed WADA contacted it about the leak inquiry and said it declined to engage.
- ARD reported the operation drew on anti-doping funds and WADA did not disclose spending details, while the U.S. government continues to withhold roughly €3.8 million in annual funding over the broader controversy.