The United States’ plans to host the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City may be in jeopardy due to concerns over the Rodchenkov Act and its enforcement against Chinese swimmers. Former senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Dick Pound has warned that U.S. law enforcement’s aggressive investigation could lead to non-compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code, potentially disqualifying the country from hosting international sporting events.
“If the U.S. goes too far in their investigation under the Rodchenkov Act, it could be declared non-compliant with the WADA code,” Pound, who is also the founding president of WADA, told Reuters. “That would mean they could not host the Olympics.”
The Rodchenkov Act grants U.S. authorities broad extraterritorial jurisdiction over international sporting competitions involving American athletes or financial ties to the United States. The current investigation focuses on a contamination case involving 23 Chinese swimmers.
According to Pound, WADA may refer the issue to its compliance review committee, which could result in the U.S. being declared non-compliant. This action could force the International Olympic Committee to reconsider confirming Salt Lake City as the host city for the 2034 Winter Games.
The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) has expressed support for WADA and voiced concerns over the safety of its officials. Brent Nowicki, the executive director of World Aquatics, has been summoned by the U.S. Department of Justice to testify in the case, raising alarms within the international sports community.
Independent reviews have cleared WADA of any wrongdoing in handling the case. Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier concluded that WADA was not biased and found no irregularities. Similarly, an audit by World Aquatics determined there was no mismanagement or cover-up.
“These findings reinforce the integrity of WADA’s processes,” Pound noted. “It’s crucial that international protocols are respected to maintain the fairness and unity of global sports.”
Reference(s):
U.S. may not be able to host 2034 Olympics, former IOC member says
cgtn.com
