World Aquatics has formed a five-member anti-doping audit review committee following revelations that 23 Chinese swimmers were allowed to participate in the Tokyo Games despite testing positive for the prohibited substance trimetazidine.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) stated it could not refute the claim from the China Anti-Doping Agency (Chinada) that the swimmers had unintentionally consumed the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ).
In a letter sent to member federations – and seen by the BBC – world swimming’s governing body said: “The goal is to enhance our understanding of the anti-doping review and decision-making process within our federation as it concerned this particular case and take away any learnings from this experience to make World Aquatics more equipped for the future.
“Your confidence, and the confidence of all athletes in our system is vital to our future together.”
Miguel Cardenal, Ken Lalo, Annabelle Williams, Florent Manaudou, and Fernando Possenti have been named as members of the committee.
The review and the resulting report are anticipated to be finalized by next month.
Following public outrage over the scandal, WADA initiated an independent review of its response to the case.
The results of the investigation, overseen by Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier, are expected to be released within the next two months.
In its letter, World Aquatics says: “We hope that the results of this investigation will help erase any circulating doubt about the anti-doping movement and place the minds of our athletes at ease heading into the Paris Olympic Games.”
This week, two key bodies which represent US athletes wrote to the country’s drug tsar calling for a “truly independent investigation”.
International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has said he has “full confidence” in Wada.