Olympic champion swimmers tell Congress U.S. athletes have lost faith in anti-doping regulator

(26 Jun 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:

POOL
Washington DC - 25 June 2024
1. Wide of committee chambers ++MUTE++
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Phelps, five-time Olympic swimmer:
"My journey in the pool has taught me the values of hard work, dedication, and above all, fairness. It helped me overcome challenges like ADHD and taught me resilience and focus. However, the constant suspicion on doping eroded the mental state that took a lifetime to build. While competing at the highest levels. I witnessed firsthand the pervasive uncertainty and the suspicions surrounding doping, which significantly affected my my confidence and that of my fellow athletes. The hardest part was seeing athletes achieve seemingly impossible feats, knowing the immense effort and sacrifices required to reach these heights cleanly. It was disheartening and demoralizing, causing pain and a profound sense of injustice."
++BLACK FRAMES++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Phelps, five-time Olympic swimmer:
"I outworked any single human on this planet. That's a fact. And that's why I got the results that I got. And for me, I don't want kids growing up thinking that it's only doping and cheating where you're able to do these unfathomable things. Because people told me my whole entire life I would never amount to anything. I use that as motivation. in my career I guess I won a couple gold medals, so it was a good career and I had fun doing it."
++BLACK FRAMES++
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Allison Schmitt, four-time Olympic swimmer:
"There is no trust, and what we ask for is that trust for accountability and transparency. We don't have accountability and we don't have transparency as we have not seen the full files."
++BLACK FRAMES++
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Michael Phelps, five-time Olympic swimmer:
"Like right now, people are just getting away with everything. You know, there are people who are still testing positive. They're still having the opportunity to get to compete internationally. What?
(Committee member: Not from US though?)
No, not from the US? No, but from all over the world. And how is that possible? Like, it just makes no sense. I'm one that if somebody does test positive, I would like to see a lifetime ban cut and dry."
++BLACK FRAMES++
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Allison Schmitt, four-time Olympic swimmer:
"I'm grateful for this opportunity and like all of us up here, state that we just want fairness in sport. Like you say, we want fairness in sport. And sport has given me so many opportunities and I hope that I can have children that are in sport, that have opportunities and know that they're competing on a clean playing, fair playing field"
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
U.S. Olympic athletes have lost faith in the World Anti-Doping Agency to rid their sports of cheaters ahead of next month's Summer Games in Paris, two former gold medalists said Tuesday in prepared testimony before a House subcommittee.

The comments by Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt followed revelations that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a banned heart medication ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but were allowed by WADA to compete. Five of those swimmers went on to win medals, including three golds.

Phelps is the most decorated swimmer in history and a 23-time Olympic gold medalist. Schmitt, a four-time gold medalist, was part of the silver medal-winning U.S. 800-meter freestyle relay team that finished second to China at the Tokyo Games. Both the Chinese and U.S. teams broke the previous world record in the relay.








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