Two refugee Olympians suspended after testing positive for same substance as Chinese swimmers

A second member of the refugee Olympic team has been suspended after testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ), the same substance sought by the Chinese swimmers in the 2021 doping scandal that came to light last month.

Anjelina Nadai Lohalitha two-time refugee Olympic runner, was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU) on April 30, just two days before the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced the refugee team for Paris 2024.

“The AIU has provisionally suspended Anjelina Nadai Lohalith (Athlete Refugee Team) for the presence/consumption of a banned substance (trimetazidine),” the AIU wrote on X, with a final decision pending.

Another runner is expected to be named to the 2024 Refugee Olympic team on March 19. Dominic Lokolong Atiolwas provisionally suspended after testing positive to TMZ.

Lohalith, who fled the war in South Sudan as a child and sought refuge in Kenya, ran the women’s 1,500 meters at the last two Olympics in Rio and Tokyo. The 31-year-old received a scholarship from the IOC to prepare for the competition in Paris.

Lokolong Atiol, also a refugee from South Sudan who sought refuge in Kenya, was also an IOC scholarship holder to attend the 2024 Games. The 24-year-old was scheduled to compete in the men’s 800 and 1500 meter races.

While both athletes were immediately suspended after the positive tests became known, this was not the case for the Chinese swimmers.

The Chinese Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) concluded that the positive TMZ tests for the 23 swimmers in 2021 were due to a contaminated kitchen, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) stated they would not be able to refute these results at the time.

Two members of the Athlete Refugee Team recently tested positive for trimetazidine. Both temporarily suspended – no discussion yet about contamination/concentrations etc. https://t.co/G3ibf6Erny

— Nick Butler (@NickJMButler) May 3, 2024

The Chinese swimmers never received sanctions and competed in the Tokyo Olympics, with three of them winning gold: Zhang Yufei, Yang Junxuan And Wang Shun.

After the handling of the case came under intense scrutiny, WADA has launched an independent review led by a Swiss prosecutor Eric Cottier (although WADA has also received criticism over Cottier’s selection).

Another refugee Olympic track and field athlete and steeplechaser Fouad Idbafdilreceived a three-year ban in December after testing positive for EPO.