A new doping scandal is rocking the world of competitive swimming, as the Paris Olympics approach. These allegations are raising questions about fairness in the sport and whether the results at the summer games can be trusted. Michael S. Schmidt, one of the reporters who broke the story, explains the controversy and what it reveals about the struggle to police doping in sports. Guest: Michael S. Schmidt, an investigative reporter for The New York Times.
From the New York Times, I'm Natalie Kitrowev.
This is the daily.
A new doping scandal is rocking the world of competitive swimming as the Paris Olympics approach.
Those allegations are raising questions about fairness in the sport and whether we can trust what we see at these Summer games.
Today, one of the reporters who broke that story, Mike Schmidt, explains the controversy and what it reveals about the struggle to police doping in sports.
It's Thursday, June 27, Mike.
On Tuesday, we saw two stars of american swimming testify before Congress where they questioned the fairness of their own sport and of the Olympic Games.
This was a pretty remarkable moment.
Tell me about what happened.
Mister chairman, members of the committee, good evening.
My name is Michael Phelps, and I.
Come before you, Michael Phelps, the most well known swimmer probably in american history.
Thank you for this opportunity to address to you today on a matter of crucial importance as we approach the 2024 Olympic Games.
And Allison Schmidt, one of the most accomplished female swimmers in american history, went up to Capitol Hill to essentially say they had lost complete faith in the system that is supposed to ensure that there's a level playing field when you sit down and watch Olympic athletes compete.
And they started their argument by telling the story of what it's been like to be them.
Now, there are times where I would be blood and urine tested twice a day.
They could be within a 30 minutes window.
They're taking four to six vials of blood every time they test to be.
Olympic athletes who gave basically all of their privacy over to a drug testing system.
From filling out forms to update our whereabouts every hour of the day, where.