Caeleb Dressel Says He Has No Confidence 2024 Olympics Will Be Doping-Free While Sitting Next To Swim Director

It would be great to see a level playing field - or in this case pool - during the 2024 Olympics in Paris, but Team USA swimmer Caeleb Dressel understands the chances of that being the case aren't exactly great.

The 27-year-old did not hold back with his comments explaining to reporters at the Games on Thursday that he does not trust World Aquatics to conduct a doping-free competition. 

"No. Not really," Dressel said when asked if he can trust that the competition will be drug-free.

While the comments are bold on their own, it's worth noting that they came during a World Aquatics presser with the American sitting directly next to the executive director of the organization, Brent Nowicki.

USA swimmer Caeleb Dressel not confident that the 2024 Olympics will be drug-free. Credit: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports

Dressel's speculation about an un-even event this summer is fair given that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance back in 2021. There were zero repercussions for the swimmers who got popped with positive tests, and many of the same swimmers will be jumping in the pool in Paris to represent China yet again.

To Nowicki's credit, he understood Dressel's concerns and the validity of the situation.

"When you have someone like Caeleb say that, obviously it’s not what you want any athlete to say," Nowicki explained. "But we have to look forward. We have to regain his trust and regain the athletes’ trust who share that same opinion."

Dressel is most certainly not the lone swimmer at the Olympics this year who shares the same opinion about a dope-free Games being a hope instead of a guarantee.

World Aquatics is doing its part in keeping close tabs on Team China ahead of swimming competitions beginning on Saturday as it shared that an average of 13 tests were conducted on the Chinese Olympic swimming team compared to an average of just six for the American squad.