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Chinese Doctor Involved In Chinese Doping Scandal Raises Questions Over Phelps

For many, the last country to raise an allegation of drug doping would be China — a country repeatedly accused of cheating on everything from the ages of gymnasts to the doping of athletes. Drilling down a bit further, the last Chinese official to raise such an allegation would be China’s Chen Zhanghao who, according to one of China’s reporters “is arguably tainted by his own role in sports doping in the ’80s and ’90s.” Yet in the wake of questions raised by China’s Ye Shiwen’s record performance, it was Chen Zhanghao who went public with the suggestion that Michael Phelps must have been drugged up to win so many gold medals.

There is a slight difference of course. China’s Ye Shiwen timed 58.68sec in the last 100 meters of her race — matching US winner Ryan Lochte’s time in the men’s competition. Various swimming experts called the performance either “impossible” or “suspicious.”

John Leonard, executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association, said that it was simply “impossible”. Adding that the “last 100m was reminiscent of some old East German swimmers, for people who have been around a while. It was reminiscent of the 400m individual medley by a young Irish woman in Atlanta.” That was a reference to Michelle de Bruin who was a triple gold-medallist at the 1996 Games before being banned for four years in 1998 for tampering with a urine sample.

One thing working against the swimmer is her country’s dismal record of false reporting and drugging vis-a-vis athletes.

Leonard said that he has little doubt: “the final 100m was impossible. Flat out. If all her split times had been faster I don’t think anybody would be calling it into question, because she is a good swimmer. But to swim three other splits at the rate that she did, which was quite ordinary for elite competition, and then unleash a historic anomaly, it is just not right.”

What is interesting is the response of Arne Ljungqvist, medical commission chief for the International Olympic Committee, who denounced such concerns as “against the fascination of sport.” Really? An athlete from a country with a long history of cheating puts up a time that some consider impossible and the watchdog organization considers it outrageous to question the performance? It does not seem so unreasonable to raise such a concern when a young girl virtually bests the top male swimmer in the sport. She may be simply a physical miracle, but there is a reason to raise the question given the views of so many experts.

I have no problem with additional drug testing or inquiry for any athlete setting a world record as a matter of course.

What do you think?

Source: Yahoo

20 thoughts on “Chinese Doctor Involved In Chinese Doping Scandal Raises Questions Over Phelps”

  3. Philly cheese steaks. I’m not from Philadelphia, but I like their sandwiches.

  4. Pingback: Medical Test Scandal in China | No Fixed Plans

  5. I really don’t think it’s right to begin to question Yi Shiwen about her quickness in the last 100. She could be just okay at the rest, and really really good at freestyle. Besides, it’s not impossible without doping. Everything just ends up being doping when somebody does really well in a country people don’t like. Like Kraaken said, a four-minute mile wasn’t questioned. And she can’t be better than Lochte? Tsk tsk…

  8. It has been pretty well demonstrated in the MLB and major cycling tour that doping and not getting caught has become quite possible these days. If you read the story of the geniuses behind the chemicals Barry Bonds (and a few others) was using you know how sophisticated they have become.

    Its not unreasonable to assume that most, if not all, of those on the podium my have a passing knowledge of PEDs. Did you see the women weight lifters last night? Several of them bore the appearance of steroid users but of course nothing was said. I’m sure they passed any test the IOC cared to try on them.

  9. I think a history of her performances prior to this winning event would lend some credence either way to whether she had legitimately won or now, coupled of course with some additional testing.

    Given all that has been suspicious with the Chinese Team, what would it hurt to have a few tests performed. A passing assay would certainly give more legitimacy to her victory.

    I don’t know what the big deal is, a few lab tests, a Queen of Diamonds, then we can see the true colors of this solitary candidate.

  10. You should look at the splits of the Chinese woman who won Bronze. Her’s are just as ridiculous. Over 2 sec faster on the back 50m of the free, looking at her 400m free and China’s culture of “it’s okay if you don’t get caught” in many facets of their society. That just how it translates to swimming.

  11. Suspicious time to say the least. According to news reports this young lady passed her blood tests, but the time is an amazing time. Hmmmm?

  12. nick spinelli,

    It wasn’t the cannabis alone. Don’t forget the cup cakes at the finish line.

  13. Kraaken, Sir Roger Bannister, an Oxford grad, carried the Olympic torch and is looking good for a man in his mid 80’s.

  15. >”Leonard said that he has little doubt: “the final 100m was impossible. Flat out.”<

    So was Roger Bannister's 4 minute mile. Once upon a time.

  18. John St. James: As the discussion related only to a specific sport, and history reflects significant differences in performance between the best males and best females which have been fairly stable for some decades, it is not unreasonable. One study reviewing results over time can be reviewed at http://www.jssm.org/vol9/n2/8/v9n2-8text.php. On the other hand, there is a thin line between questioning compliance with the rules and bad sportsmanship–and we see the view from the wrong side of that line way too often.

  19. “It does not seem so unreasonable to raise such a concern when a young girl virtually bests the top male swimmer in the sport.”

    Because a girl could never be better than a man at anything.

  20. If you read the linked article you’ll understand more about this story…. I know a young lady that was cut from the US Olympic swim team and I’m not surprised that people are complaining of doping going on…. I liked Yes’ statement about “China having a firm policy about doping”……it was not explained in much more detail other than the above statement….

    Then again its possible that she was that good at 16 years of age…..

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