Katie Ledecky Calls for Clean Competition Amid Doping Controversy

Katie Ledecky hopes athletes will compete cleanly at the Paris Olympics amidst doping allegations involving Chinese swimmers. The New York Times and German broadcaster ARD reported that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned heart medication before the Tokyo Olympics. WADA confirmed the positive tests but attributed them to contamination from a hotel kitchen.

American swimming legend Katie Ledecky has voiced her hope that athletes will compete cleanly at the upcoming Paris Olympics. This comes amid a doping controversy involving Chinese swimmers.

According to the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD, 23 Chinese swimmers competed at the Tokyo Olympics despite testing positive earlier for the banned heart medication trimetazidine. Eleven of these swimmers were named in reports and have been selected for China's Olympic team at Paris.

'I hope everyone here is going to be competing clean this week. What really matters is whether they were training clean,' said seven-time Olympic gold medalist Ledecky. 'Hopefully, there's been comprehensive testing worldwide.'

WADA confirmed the positive tests but did not name the swimmers. It accepted the findings of a Chinese investigation attributing the test results to contamination from a hotel kitchen. An independent investigation ruled WADA did not mishandle or show favoritism. A World Aquatics audit found no mismanagement by the governing body.

China's Foreign Ministry stated it trusts the conclusion of an independent Swiss prosecutor and supports WADA's governance. Ledecky emphasized that athletes want more transparency and changes in the global anti-doping system.

(With inputs from agencies.)