Chinese swimmers face extra scrutiny at Paris Olympics following doping scandal

BBC Sport has reported that Chinese swimmers are set to be tested twice as much as their counterparts at the 2024 Paris Olympics following a doping scandal that rocked the world of swimming.

The International Testing Agency has reportedly committed to testing Chinese competitors eight times between the start of 2024 and the beginning of the Paris Games. This number is double that of other competitors.

The ITA has also said “best efforts” will be made to ensure tests are carried out by independent authorities, not the China Anti-Doping Agency, and to avoid using China as a testing center, per BBC Sport.

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Authorities have come under pressure in recent months following the reveal that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance before the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo, but were cleared to compete anyway, per The Independent.

Despite the positive tests for the heart medication trimetazidine, all 23 competitors were allowed to race in Tokyo, claiming three golds between them.

This led to World Aquatics, competitive swimming’s governing body, claiming their trust in the anti-doping system had been “weakened,” per BBC Sport.

World Aquatics released a statement saying, “What is extremely clear and what cannot be taken for granted is that the trust of the aquatics community is vital to the continued success of World Aquatics as an international federation”.

23-time Olympic gold medallist Michael Phelps told a US House of Representatives subcommittee, “As athletes, our faith can no longer be blindly placed in the World Anti-Doping Agency, an organization that continues to prove that it is either incapable or unwilling to enforce its policies consistently around the world,” following the Chinese doping scandal.

An investigation by the Chinese team into the doping scandal concluded the positive tests were a result of contaminated food provided by a hotel, per The Independent. However, no evidence was provided to substantiate any claim.

The International Olympic Committee has claimed it has, “full confidence” in WADA, despite the ongoing concerns around Chinese competitors. Hopefully, the extra scrutiny will lead to a clean Games from all parties, with no drug controversies to take away from what should be an exciting series of swimming events.

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