About 20 Chinese swimmers have been allowed to compete in the Tokyo Games despite testing positive for banned substances.
News Corp's Julian Linden reports that 23 Chinese swimmers have been cleared to compete in the 2021 Olympics, but the reason is they are all using the same banned drugs that Sun Yang was once banned from. This was because they were judged to be innocent victims of mass pollution.
Kayo lets you watch selected NRL and AFL matches and all F1 races live in 4K. Is this your first time in Kayo?Start your free trial now
International testing agencies and World Aquatics have confirmed that a swimmer tested positive for the drug trimetazidine, also known as TMZ, during a training camp just months before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics.
Athletes who fail drug tests are usually subject to some kind of sanction under the rules of the sport, and state athletes are held responsible if banned substances are detected in their system.
China is embroiled in a new doping scandal involving its swimming team. (AAP Images/Dean Lewins)
After the positive samples were found to be the result of contamination, the Chinese Anti-Doping Authority (CHINADA) deemed the results Adverse Analytical Findings (AAF) and acquitted all the swimmers without imposing any penalties.
In this case, WADA and World Aquatics are satisfied that the adverse consequences were caused by the pollution, that the 23 Chinese swimmers did not violate any regulations and that any punishment is justified. He said that it would not be done.
World Aquatics confirmed that the Doping Control Commission had investigated the results and was satisfied with the results.
“AAF's provenance material was subject to the scrutiny of independent experts retained by FINA,” World Aquatics told News Corp.
“World Aquatics is confident that these AAFs were handled diligently and professionally in accordance with all applicable anti-doping regulations, including the World Anti-Doping Code.”
The 30-member Chinese swimming team won six medals, including three gold medals, at the Tokyo Olympics.
Sun Yang beat Australia's Mack Horton (left) to win the gold medal at the 2019 World Championships. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
This is not the first time trimetazidine has attracted attention in the global sports world. The drug is banned because scientists believe it unfairly enhances athletes' performance, especially in endurance events.
Russian teenage figure skater Kamila Valieva tested positive for trimetazidine two months before the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
Russian authorities did not immediately release the results and allowed her to compete, but later suspended her for four years and stripped her of the gold medal she had won in the team event.
In 2018, American swimmer Madisyn Cox tested positive for trimetazidine, and despite being able to prove it was a coincidence by tracing the drug to a contaminated group of vitamins, 6. His suspension for the month was reduced.
Australia's Shayna Jack has withdrawn from the Tokyo Olympics as part of a two-year suspension for testing positive for the anabolic drug Ligandrol.
Russian President Vladimir Putin poses with figure skater Kamila Valieva, who was later stripped of her gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. (Photo by Mikhail KLIMENTYEV / SPUTNIK / AFP)
Son was first found guilty in 2018 by Chinese authorities and FINA of smashing samples with a hammer before testing.
He was later found guilty of cheating and given a four-year ban, but the 32-year-old is training every day and is still continuing China's anti-doping test as he aims to return to the Paris Olympics. It's on the list.
China stripped of gold medal
The revelation came amid reports that China's women's 4x200m freestyle relay was stripped of its gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics.
SwimSwam first reported that U.S. swimmers were told that the Chinese relay team at the Tokyo Olympics had been disqualified for doping charges.
This means the Chinese will be stripped of their gold medal and the world record of 7 minutes 40.33 seconds, which was broken by Australia at last year's world championships.
It is unclear who tested positive, but the members of the Chinese relay team were Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan, Zhang Yufei, and Li Bingjie in the final, and Dong Jie and Zhang Yifan in the preliminary round.
Australia finished third in the 4x200m relay, a disappointing result amid controversy over the entire final relay team taking a break from swimming during the summer heat.
Sun Yang is still training and is believed to be considering a return. (Photo by Manan Vatshayana/AFP)
The Australians promoted to silver are Ariane Titmuss, Emma McKeown, Maddy Wilson, Leah Neal, Meg Harris, Molly O'Callaghan, Brianna Trossell and Tamsin Cooke.
Canada finished fourth in the relay and was promoted to the bronze medal spot.
The news came as a complete shock to the Chinese swimming team, which has become a dominant force in the pool and looms as a real challenger to Australia and the United States.
Despite a weakened field, China won seven gold medals at this year's World Aquatics Championships in Qatar, ranking second in medals, one behind the Americans.
Chinese teenager Pan Zhanle is the current world record holder in the men's 100m freestyle, while Qin Hai won last year's world title by defeating Australia's Zac Stablety-Cook in the 200m breaststroke. He was heading for the triple crown of 50-100-200.
The Chinese women's swimming team achieved similar results. Olympic champion Zhang Yufei is one of the gold medal favorites in both butterfly events in Paris and is a key member of the Chinese relay.
