Earlier this year, a doping scandal involving 23 Chinese swimmers rocked the sports world. The athletes had tested positive for the banned heart medication trimetazidine, also known as TMZ. The Chinese anti-doping agency attributed the positive tests to contamination, specifically pointing to traces of TMZ found in the kitchen of the swimmers' hotel.
However, a peculiar theory emerged during the investigation. An official suggested that the contamination could have been the result of a culinary conspiracy involving contaminated noodles. The scenario proposed was that criminals had laced cooking wine with the banned drug, which then made its way into the athletes' systems through the preparation of noodles.
Despite the outlandish nature of the theory, it was presented to international anti-doping officials during a meeting. The lawyer appointed by the World Anti-Doping Agency to investigate the case, Eric Cottier, acknowledged the theory but deemed it speculative and lacking concrete evidence.
While Cottier found issues with how the case was handled by both WADA and the Chinese authorities, he ultimately accepted China's explanation of inadvertent contamination and deemed WADA's decision not to appeal reasonable.
Further details emerged regarding the alleged contamination of the kitchen. It was suggested that industrial alcohol tainted with TMZ had entered the market through illegal channels and was used in the production of cooking wine, which was then consumed by the athletes.
Despite efforts to bring attention to the noodles conspiracy, the case was closed, and 11 of the swimmers competed at the Paris Games under the shadow of the doping scandal. Critics argue that a more thorough investigation by an independent party is necessary to address lingering doubts and ensure transparency in anti-doping efforts.
While the controversy surrounding the Chinese swimmers' doping case may have subsided, questions remain about the validity of the contaminated noodles theory and the handling of the investigation.
