UK and EU urged to follow US and block funding for World Anti-Doping Agency Pressure is intensifying on the World Anti-Doping Agency with the UK and European Union being urged to stop funding the global body following the United States’ decision to withhold its financial backing over Wada’s handling of the 23 Chinese swimmers cleared to compete at the 2021 Olympics.
The US government has declined to pay its $3.6m (£2.9m) 2024 contribution to Wada and looks unlikely to pay in the future under the administration of President Donald Trump after it emerged last year that Wada had cleared 23 Chinese swimmers to compete at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, even though they had tested positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ).
Meanwhile, the former Wada vice-president, Linda Helleland, who chairs the Council of Europe’s cultural and sport committee and is Norway’s shadow sports minister, is calling on her country to withdraw its support for Wada.
The shadow sports minister, Stuart Andrew, is calling on the government to follow the example of President Joe Biden’s administration and consider withholding funds if Wada cannot show full transparency over the China case.
Releasing the papers will give confidence to the system: if they can’t do that then I think we have to ask serious questions about funding Wada going forward.
