WADA drops legal action against Tygart
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said that it has dropped legal action against the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and its chief Travis Tygart over a dispute about Chinese swimmers testing positive for a banned substance in 2021.
"In the interest of moving on and focusing our efforts on strengthening the global anti-doping system... WADA has made the decision to withdraw the lawsuit against Mr. Tygart and USADA," a WADA spokesperson told AFP.
"Over several months, Travis Tygart made incessant defamatory allegations against WADA without any supporting evidence in relation to its review of the no-fault contamination cases involving 23 swimmers from China."
Tygart had accused WADA of a cover-up when it cleared the Chinese swimmers to compete in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 despite testing positive for a banned medication, trimetazidine.
He has long been a critic of WADA attacking them in the aftermath of the Russian state-sponsored doping scheme surrounding the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
In January, Tygart supported a US government decision to withhold a WADA dues payment of $3.6 million.
The WADA spokesperson said that the body had responded with a lawsuit in Switzerland, citing "an attack on WADA's reputation, based on groundless conspiracy theories."
In the case of the Chinese swimmers, WADA says it was not at fault in accepting the "food contamination" explanation put forward by the Chinese authorities.
It said it considers the matter closed since a report it commissioned from Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier found that WADA had worked "autonomously, independently and professionally".
The WADA spokesperson said that the findings had cleared the body's reputation, making legal action unneccessary.
"Given the clear findings of the Cottier report, which have been universally accepted by the anti-doping community and wider public, that aim has been achieved." AFP
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Afghan women UN staff targeted with threats, told to ‘stay home' in Kabul
Afghan women working for the United Nations in Kabul have been threatened by unidentified men because of their jobs, the organisation and several women told AFP on Thursday. PHOTO: AFP Listen to article Afghan women working for the United Nations in Kabul have been threatened by unidentified men because of their jobs, the organisation and several women told AFP on Thursday. Multiple women working for various UN agencies told AFP on condition of anonymity they had been threatened on the street and over the phone by men warning them to 'stay home'. UN staffer Huda — not her real name — said that for weeks she has been bombarded with messages abusing her for 'working with foreigners'. 'The messages keep coming and they are always harassing us … saying, 'Don't let me see you again, or else',' the young woman told AFP. She said her office had advised her to work from home until further notice. The United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) confirmed that UN staff had been threatened. 'Several United Nations female national staff members in the Afghan capital Kabul have been subjected to threats by unidentified individuals related to their work with the UN,' it said in a statement. Considering the threats 'extremely serious', the UN has taken 'interim' measures 'to ensure the safety and security of staff members', it added. The Taliban government, accused by the UN of imposing a 'gender apartheid' against women since returning to power in 2021, has denied any involvement. Interior ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani said such threats were a 'crime' and that police would take action. UNAMA said the authorities had opened an investigation. Since seizing power in 2021, the Taliban authorities have severely restricted Afghan women from working and it is the only country in the world where women are banned from education beyond primary school. The government in 2022 banned women from working for domestic and international NGOs, which was extended to include the UN's offices in the country the following year. The policy has some exceptions, including for women working in healthcare and education, and has not been consistently enforced. The UN has previously called the policy 'deeply discriminatory'. Selsela, in her 30s, said that while returning from the office last week, she was approached by unknown men who told her she should be 'ashamed' and that she must 'stay home'. 'They said, 'We told you nicely this time, but next time you'll have another thing coming',' she told AFP. 'I was very scared,' she said, explaining how she struggles to work efficiently from home in a country where electricity and internet are unreliable. 'The situation for women is getting worse every day.' Another woman, Rahila, said she and two other women colleagues were stopped by men while travelling home in a UN vehicle and told not to go to the office anymore. 'They said, 'Don't you know that you are not allowed?',' Rahila said, adding that she has also received threatening messages from unknown numbers. 'I am very worried, I need my job and my salary,' she said. Three-quarters of Afghanistan's population of some 45 million people struggle to meet their daily needs, according to the UN, with the country facing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.
Business Recorder
6 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Credit Suisse, SoftBank fight over Greensill losses in $440mn London lawsuit
LONDON: Credit Suisse's $440 million London lawsuit against Japan's SoftBank Group Corp kicked off on Thursday over losses linked to Greensill Capital, with the collapsed finance firm's founder Lex Greensill expected to give evidence next week. The case, which centres on funds Greensill lent to Katerra, a SoftBank-backed U.S. construction group, is the latest concerning Greensill's demise, which caused heavy losses for investors and prompted lawsuits and regulatory probes. Greensill's collapse made Credit Suisse close $10 billion of funds linked to the financial firm and, along with other scandals, led to the 2023 state-backed rescue of the 167-year-old Swiss bank by rival UBS Group. UBS is now pursuing the case against SoftBank, with Lex Greensill and Eric Varvel, former chairman of Credit Suisse's investment bank, among the key witnesses at the trial. The lender alleges that Greensill, at SoftBank's behest, gave up rights to Katerra's debts in return for shares which it then passed on to a SoftBank Group entity, leaving Credit Suisse out of pocket in relation to $440 million of notes. UBS completes merger of Credit Suisse service units in India Lawyer Sonia Tolaney, representing the Credit Suisse fund that held the notes, said SoftBank was heavily exposed to both Greensill and Katerra, to a total of around $3.5 billion, and 'needed to protect the value of its investments'. SoftBank, however, says the lawsuit lacks merit and is simply an attempt by Credit Suisse to 'pin blame (on SoftBank) for a loss caused by their own negligence and risk-taking'. Tom Smith, a lawyer for SoftBank, said in court filings that SoftBank paid $440 million to Greensill 'on the agreement and understanding that this was to be used to repurchase or redeem' the notes and pay back Credit Suisse in full. 'Far from seeking to harm (Credit Suisse), the (SoftBank defendants) and (Lex Greensill) acted to protect (Credit Suisse) because of its importance to Greensill's business model,' he said.
Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Mohammad Shehzad, 64-year old Pakistani, wins Gold at Asian Indoor Rowing Championship
Mohammad Shehzad, a 64-year-old rower from Pakistan, delivered an outstanding performance at the Asian Indoor Rowing Championship in Thailand, clinching the gold medal in the 60+ singles category. Shehzad, facing a younger Indian opponent, James Joseph, secured first place, making history with his victory and setting an Asian record of 1:32.30. His daughter Mahoor Shahzad, an Olympian who represented Pakistan in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, celebrated her father's achievement on X (formerly Twitter). Alhamdulillah! My father, Muhammad Shahzad, won a gold medal at the 2025 Asian Indoor Rowing Championship, defeating his Indian rival — at the age of 64! Watching him achieve this has completely transformed the way I view determination, discipline, and strength. — Mahoor Shahzad (@OfficialMahoor) June 5, 2025 Shehzad's victory added to Pakistan's impressive overall performance at the championship, where the nation secured 14 medals, including 10 gold, 3 silver, and 1 bronze. The championship, held from May 26 to 31 in Pattaya, Thailand, saw athletes competing on indoor rowing machines, such as the Concept2 ergometer, simulating the rowing experience in a controlled environment. This remarkable achievement capped off a series of successes by Pakistani rowers, with Abdul Jabbar and Tayyab Iftikhar also contributing to the medal tally. Shehzad's win, however, stood out as a personal triumph, and he dedicated the victory to the Pakistan Armed Forces and the nation's martyrs, further adding emotional depth to his achievement.
