Clean bill of health for Chinese swimmers: over 600 tests, zero violations

The swimmers from Team China in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games have been exposed to a plethora of anti-doping tests, and no violations have been found, despite accusations circulating in some media outlets.

The fact is that Chinese swimmers are the most tested athletes for the pool in Paris.

The total number of tests on the Chinese swimming team has exceeded 600 since January 2024, with each swimmer having been tested approximately 21 times, while their major rivals have been tested on average four to six times, according to official statistics from World Aquatics released on July 23. World Aquatics is the international federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for administering international competitions in water sports.

"They are fully tested," according to Mark Adams, communications director of the IOC, at a press conference on August 2.

Some of the tests were conducted just to provide "peace of mind" to the rest of the athletes, said Pau Gasol, an IOC member and two-time NBA champion.

"Multiple times in the early hours of the day and night, it's not easy for the athletes, especially because it disrupts rest, training, and other schedules," Gasol noted.

"As an athlete, I appreciate the cooperation of the Chinese swimmers in this case," Gasol said. "Hopefully, this will not happen more often to any other athletes from other countries."

Testing found no violations

The intensive testing on Team China "is a good way to prove its clarity," Dong Jun, a sports commentator based in Beijing, told CGTN. "The result will speak for everything."

Some media reports cited the positive test results of 23 Chinese swimmers back in 2021, seven months before the Tokyo Olympics. However, an investigation showed that the swimmers took the banned substances by accidentally eating contaminated food, an occurrence not so uncommon across the globe.

"There were no infringements or violations of the anti-doping rules [in this case]," said David Lappartient, member of the Foundation Board of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Lappartient, who is also an IOC member and the president of the French National Olympic and Sports Committee, told CGTN that was "clearly the conclusion" of WADA and the independent prosecutors involved.

"There is no reason to doubt WADA's position regarding this case," Lappartient said.

China's anti-doping efforts

China has been striving with its anti-doping work. The China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) said on July 25 that they will work with all related parties to ensure the integrity of global anti-doping governance.

This stance was echoed by the country's foreign ministry. The ministry's spokesperson Lin Jian said in June that the Chinese government takes a "zero-tolerance" attitude toward doping, strictly complies with the World Anti-Doping Code, and resolutely safeguards athletes' health and fair play in sports.

Anti-doping is also an important part of China's blueprint for sports development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025). The blueprint involves upgrading the anti-doping system, revising related laws, and developing innovative technologies for drug detection.