Tragedy in rowing: Olympionic Dagmar Ehwald found dead

Tragedy in rowing: Olympionic Dagmar Ehwald found dead

Grünau, Deutschland - On July 1, 2025, the sports world is shaken by a dramatic incident: 35-year-old Olympionic Dagmar Ehwald was found dead in the water of the Grünau rowing route. The controversial athlete recently secured the Olympic qualification in the rudder two and her partner Juliane Spieker. But the joy of sporting success was overshadowed by a doping test that was positive. There is also a suspicion that Ehwald has been drowned. ARD Mediathek reports that ...

Juliane Spieker practices innocence. Despite the allegations and the associated uncertainties for her own Olympic qualification, she decidedly rejected the allegations against herself. While she is now training with a new partner, the question remains to what extent the doping problem of her teammate could influence the course of the upcoming games.

doping in swimming

Another dark facet of the topic of doping is put into focus through the Situation in swimming. In 2021, a total of 23 swimmers from China were tested positively on doping, but were allowed to take part in the Tokyo Olympics. This was made possible by a secret license from the Chinese anti-doping agency (Chinada), which incorrectly stated that the doping agent trimetacidin had accidentally reached their meals. Sportschau reports that ...

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has not clearly commented on this matter. A whistleblower has accused the WADA of having not raised any obvious objections, and affected athletes say that they were not informed of their positive tests. Eleven of the positively tested swimmers could even take part in the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris. This raises serious questions about the integrity of the anti-doping fight and the credibility of international sporting competitions.

The fight against doping

The discussion about doping abuse is not just an exercise for the authorities: The German Olympic Sports Association (DOSB) pursues a strict zero tolerance policy when it comes to doping. Protecting the integrity of the sport is the top priority here. The DOSB works closely with the National Anti-Doping Agency Germany (NADA), which has been tirelessly fighting for a fair competition since its foundation in 2002. dosb reports that ...

NADA offers athletes, trainers and supervisors comprehensive information material and a medication database that enables quick clarification of the doping relevance of medication. This is intended to create a climate of education and security to ensure the integrity of sport.

The tragic events around Dagmar Ehwald and the doping affairs in swimming illustrate a recurring shadow in the world of sport. It remains to be seen whether trust in fairness and the values of sporting competition can be restored.