Former U.S. Olympic swimmers Michael Phelps and Allison Schmitt are scheduled to testify before Congress on anti-doping standards ahead of the 2024 summer games in Paris.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee announced that its Oversight and Investigations subcommittee will hold the hearing at 7 p.m. Tuesday, a rare evening slot befitting two Olympic athletes who collectively hold 27 gold medals.
Mr. Phelps retired from Olympic swimming after the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro. During his lengthy career, he shattered world records and became the most decorated Olympian of all time, earning 28 medals, 23 of them gold.
Ms. Schmitt won 10 Olympic medals, four of them gold, before retiring after the Tokyo games, which were held a year late in 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Their testimony before Congress comes amid controversy over anti-doping standards, after news came to light this year that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned heart drug trimetazidine in 2021 but were still cleared to swim in Tokyo.
The World Anti-Doping Agency privately cleared the swimmers of wrongdoing at the time, accepting China’s explanation that the swimmers who failed their tests accidentally ate food contaminated with the substance used in the heart medication.
The secrecy surrounding the decision has created controversy. China is sending 11 of the swimmers who tested positive for trimetazidine to the games in Paris this summer.
U.S. swimmers, who are currently competing in Olympic trials to qualify for the team that will compete in Paris, have raised questions about fairness in applying anti-doping standards.
Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rogers, Washington Republican, and Oversight and Investigations subcommittee Chair Morgan Griffith, Virginia Republican, said in a statement that World Anti-Doping Agency “has a questionable track record” of fulfilling its mission to enforce fair standards. They said the hearing will create a forum in which to examine that record and identify opportunities for improvement.
“Olympic athletes dedicate years of their lives to perfect their craft in order to represent the United States on the world stage,” the lawmakers said. “They — as well as athletes from every other country — deserve to compete on a level playing field that’s free of banned performance enhancing drugs.”
• Lindsey McPherson can be reached at lmcpherson@washingtontimes.com.