What does Utah have to do with the Winter Olympics?
Salt Lake City won the 2002 Winter Olympics. Paying a bribe The city protested to members of the International Olympic Committee, leading to a criminal investigation and major reforms to the bidding process. The city won the rights to host the 2034 Winter Olympics, but only after the IOC agreed to help thwart an FBI investigation. investigation Half of the World Anti-Doping Agency budget It is funded by the IOC.
The agency, known as WADA, is supposed to ensure competitive fairness in international sporting events, but it has not fulfilled its role and may have succumbed to Chinese influence.
The FBI investigation began following a report by The New York Times. report The FBI’s investigative powers were based on the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act, which criminalizes conspiracy to commit international sports doping, and which the IOC and WADA see as weakening international sports doping laws. Their authority.
Just before the 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics, WADA Have learned Twenty-three Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine, a performance-enhancing drug banned by WADA in international competitions, and anti-doping agencies violated their own rules by not disclosing the positive tests and accepting China’s outlandish explanation that the athletes had gotten the drug into their systems without their knowledge. kitchen The athletes died in the hotel where they had eaten, an explanation that was even questioned by two WADA scientists. Some of the Chinese swimmers have won medals in Tokyo and others are competing in Paris.
When the IOC learned of the FBI investigation, Requested The right to revoke the decision to host the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City unless the United States “fully respects” the “highest authority in the fight against doping” of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Salt Lake City organizers have caved in to this demand.
What the IOC is looking for with Salt Lake City’s help: Immunity WADA will now be immune from the U.S. criminal justice system, not only from criminal charges but also from assisting the FBI in its investigation by providing testimony or information. Utah Governor Spencer Cox (R-Utah) said: Involved “Use all tools at our disposal” to address the IOC’s concerns. The FBI investigation was dropped.
Perhaps Salt Lake City agreed to the IOC’s request on the grounds that the FBI would ignore any interference by Utah, so “what’s the harm?” But whatever the rationale, the ugly truth is that by ignoring Chinese Olympic doping, Salt Lake City and Utah supported the IOC’s demand that the United States waive criminal jurisdiction over an international sports doping conspiracy that violates American law and harms American Olympic athletes.
These athletes are subject to highly intrusive drug testing. compete Allegations have emerged that Chinese athletes are using performance-enhancing drugs, and the FBI’s investigation is essential to uncovering a Chinese doping operation that could rival Russia’s decades-long doping program. scheme Because of this, the United States and other athletes have lost countless Olympic medals.
A few years ago, Dr. Xue Yinxian from China Whistleblower She worked for a national sports team and fled to Germany, where she applied for asylum. Explained China’s decades-long doping program involved as many as 10,000 athletes. A trainer told her, “Boys’ breasts are starting to get bigger. They ask me what to do.” Even WADA acknowledged that Yingsheng could be trusted, but There was a lack of evidence About China’s doping program.
It is an honor for an American city to host the Olympics, but it should not come at the cost of betraying American athletes and undermining America’s criminal justice system.
Gregory J. Wallace He served as a federal prosecutor in the Carter and Reagan administrations, and was part of the team that prosecuted ABSCAM, convicting one U.S. Senator and six U.S. Representatives on bribery charges.Into Siberia: George Kennan’s epic journey through the harsh and frozen heart of Russia.“
