The Chinese swimmers at the Olympics in Paris will face greater scrutiny than most participants. The world is now gravely concerned about the effectiveness of anti-doping efforts in a sport that has seen its fair share of scandals over the years, after it was revealed that nearly two dozen elite Chinese swimmers tested positive for a prohibited substance before the Tokyo Games and were permitted to compete without facing any consequences.
For those who have been following the pool for some time, this will sound familiar: from the East Germans’ systematic, state-sponsored program of the 1970s and 1980s to a previous Chinese doping ring in the 1990s, to concerns about Irish star Michelle Smith’s one-and-done performance at the Olympics in Atlanta, to positive tests among Russian swimmers.
The world is full of people who cheat. “I am positive,” declared Rowdy Gaines, an Olympic gold medallist from 1984 who currently works as an NBC Sports broadcaster. “It’s an entirely different problem when it becomes systemic.” Leading individuals, including Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian ever with an incredible 23 gold medals, and Katie Ledecky, the female swimmer with the most individual medals won, have both voiced their displeasure with a system that appears to have overlooked a very clear-cut case.
After the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, Phelps announced his retirement, saying, “I have moved on to the next chapter in my life.” However, it is crucial that we leave the book open for anyone who may like to follow. Prior to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, 23 elite Chinese swimmers tested positive for a cardiac drug that was prohibited, but the World Anti-Doping Agency chose to keep the case closed. Three gold medals were eventually won by five of the swimmers.
The results of the positive tests were kept under wraps until The New York Times and German broadcaster ARD revealed them in April. The Times also disclosed that three of the swimmers had previously tested positive for an other prohibited chemical, although there had been no consequences. WADA agreed with the Chinese anti-doping authorities’ explanation that the prohibited chemical was consumed by the athletes through tainted food at a hotel. The body that oversees swimming, World Aquatics, approved of such choice.
It ought to have been handled differently out of consideration for others. Nicolò Martinenghi, an Italian swimmer, expressed respect for the swimming and sports community as a whole. “A solution to the problem is required.”
The world anti-doping agency came under more fire when it was revealed that 11 swimmers who tested positive before Tokyo were scheduled to participate again in Paris. Phelps recently testified before the US Congress, saying, “The next generation isn’t going to be able to have the same belief that I once had in the system if the international sports world continues to have its integrity impacted by the failures at WADA.” Therefore, I am pleading with you, Congressmen, to take up the battle against doping. We are capable of upholding the moral principles, equity, and honesty that underpin Olympic and Paralympic sports.
With that aim, the United States has initiated a criminal probe into the handling of the Chinese doping cases. Congress has subpoenaed World Aquatics’ executive director, Brent Nowicki, to testify. World Aquatics announced on Monday that the eight or more drug tests that the Chinese swimmers who were competing in Paris were subjected to prior to the Games this year. All of this, though, comes too late to compensate those who might have been duped out of medals in Tokyo.
In the 4×200-meter freestyle relay, Ledecky swam an excellent anchor leg to finish in a time that would have broken the previous world record. However, Zhang Yufei and the Chinese team went even faster, taking home the gold and setting a new world record by four tenths of a second. Zhang was one of those who tested positive for doping before the Olympics. Now that she had confirmation of her fears, Ledecky can only imagine how Shirley Babashoff, the swimmer who earned the nickname “Surly Shirley” for complaining about the East Germans’ unexpected dominance during the 1976 Montreal Olympics, must have felt.
Being an athlete and having to experience what it’s like to be the silver medalist behind certain individuals that tested positive is difficult, Ledecky told CBS. “That’s happened to other athletes before, and I’ve always felt bad for them.” The doping allegations will undoubtedly cloud the Paris swimming competition, particularly if the Chinese put up a strong showing.
After a brilliant performance at the 2024 world championships in Doha, Qatar, where they took home seven gold medals and a total of eleven medals, they finished fourth in the medal standings at the Tokyo Games with three gold medals. At that meet, China followed only the United States, though it should be noted that many of the world’s best swimmers passed on the most recent worlds due to its odd timing in an Olympic year. The CEO of USA Swimming, Tim Hinchey, expressed disappointment at the return of this type of distraction during the Olympics.
However, it’s nothing novel for the sport. Hinchey remarked, “It has happened repeatedly.” “Well, that’s disappointing.”