Overview
- WADA intelligence chief Günter Younger said the probe seeks to understand how the leak occurred and its motives, asserting it is not a hunt for a whistleblower.
- ARD reported internal documents showing the inquiry was approved by WADA leaders and that multiple anti-doping bodies were asked for information that could identify sources; the Athletics Integrity Unit confirmed contact and declined to share details.
- WADA says the investigation follows a request from its Athletes' Commission to examine the disclosure of confidential athlete information, including records involving minors.
- Human Rights Watch and Transparency International criticized the operation, warning it could endanger sources and deter future reporting of wrongdoing.
- The leak concerned 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine in 2021, cases WADA cleared as contamination without an on-site probe, a stance that drew sustained criticism and coincided with the U.S. government withholding its annual dues of roughly $3.6 million.