Chinese Swimmers Face Increased Doping Tests Ahead of Olympics

Chinese swimmers have undergone nearly 200 doping tests in just 10 days since arriving in Paris for the Olympics, amid heightened scrutiny following past doping controversies. Team nutritionist Yu Liang reported that each of the 31 athletes was tested five to seven times, often during inconvenient hours, which has sparked complaints about the intensity of the testing regime. This aggressive testing comes in the wake of a 2021 scandal where 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine but faced no penalties due to claims of contamination. The International Testing Agency (ITA) has not confirmed the accuracy of the reported testing frequency. The World Aquatics agency has announced that Chinese swimmers will be tested no less than eight times in the lead-up to the Olympics, significantly more than their competitors. The situation has led to discussions about whether Chinese athletes are being unfairly targeted by international sports bodies.