In a post-race interview at the Paris Olympics, Olympic swimmers addressed concerns surrounding the Chinese doping scandal that has overshadowed the event. The Chinese men’s 4×100-meter medley relay team secured victory, with two team members among the 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive before the Tokyo Olympics three years ago. Despite this, they were permitted to compete following a Chinese investigation that attributed the positive tests to contaminated food.
British swimmer Adam Peaty, known for his outspokenness, expressed disappointment at the tainted victory and stressed the importance of fair play in sports. Peaty highlighted the need for integrity, stating that winning without fairness holds no value and suggested that those involved in doping should be excluded from the sport.
Recent reports from The New York Times revealed that two additional Chinese swimmers, including a 2024 Olympian, had tested positive for banned substances in 2022 but were allowed to participate in the Paris Olympics after being cleared by Chinese authorities.
Peaty, who initially remained silent on the matter, eventually chose to voice his frustration with the flawed system that enabled athletes with doping violations to compete at the Olympics. Following the men’s victory, China also clinched bronze in the women’s 4×100 medley relay, with Zhang Yufei, another swimmer implicated in the 2019 doping scandal, among the team members.
Zhang shared insights into the rigorous testing protocols undergone by her and her teammates leading up to the Paris Games, emphasizing their commitment to clean competition. The World Anti-Doping Agency reaffirmed its decision to absolve the swimmers who had tested positive for a prohibited heart medication prior to the Tokyo Olympics.
