Aquatics Integrity Unit Publishes Testing Data, with China and Neutral Athletes Most Tested
The Aquatics Integrity Unit (AQIU) on Wednesday published testing data ahead of the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. The most tested athletes in the population are those from China and the Neutral Athletes team of Russian and Belorussian athletes.
The testing regime, implemented by the International Testing Agency (ITA), handles in- and out-of-competition tests totaling more than 4,018 tests for athletes participating in Worlds since Jan. 1, 2025.
All of the athletes hailing from Russia approved to compete as Neutral Athletes have been tested at least four times in the last 12 months, with at least one of those tests conducted by World Aquatics. Neutral Athletes have been tested an average of 8.20 times in that timespan, second-most of any athlete. China leads in that category, with an average of 8.80 anti-doping tests. Each of the six most tested athletes are Chinese swimmers, with Wang Haoyu leading the way with 13 tests.
The average number of tests per athlete is two. Behind China and the Russian athletes is the United States at an average of 4.13 tests and Australia at 4.00.
The AQUI will collect an additional 830 samples during the 24 days of competition in Singapore, which begins July 15.
World Aquatics’ data fits with the theme that was voiced last year and this year by Chinese athletes, saying they were the most tested in the world. Those efforts have ramped up by bodies like the ITA and AQUI after the 2021 positive tests of 23 Chinese swimmers, which was ruled a case of environmental contamination by the Chinese Anti-Doping Agency and approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency to evade sanction and allow them to compete at the Tokyo Olympics that year.
Russian swimmers have largely been outside of the international competition structure since the country’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, with only one swimmer of Russia nationality and three Belarussians at the Paris Olympics. Ensuring they are reincorporated to the testing pool has been a key step in their return to international sport.
Average tests per swimming athlete by country
- China, 8.80
- Neutral Athletes (Russia), 8.20
- United States, 4.13
- Australia, 4.00
- France, 3.60
- Italy, 3.50
- Hungary, 3.30
- Japan, 2.80
- Canada, 2.40
- Great Britain, 2.20
