A world-record holding Chinese swimmer has accused doping testers at the Olympic Games of being part of a “European and American” plot to unsettle China’s team.
Qin Haiyang, who holds the record for the men’s 200m breaststroke and is seen as one of Adam Peaty’s main obstacles to claim a three-peat in the 100m, claimed on social media that the vigorous testing of Chinese athletes at the Paris Games was an attempt to disturb their rhythm.
China’s swimmers had been tested on average five to seven times each in just their first 10 days in France, and at all times of day and night, the national camp has claimed.
Qin said: “This proves that the European and American teams feel threatened by the performances of the Chinese team in recent years.
“Some tricks aim to disrupt our preparation rhythm and destroy our psychological defence! But we are not afraid.
“When you have a clear conscience, you do not fear slander. The team is currently preparing at the established pace. My teammates and I will resist the pressure and win more medals to silence the skeptics! [sic]”
The Chinese swim team has faced heightened levels of testing since a joint investigation in April by the New York Times and the German television channel ARD revealed that 23 Chinese athletes, including Qin, had been allowed to compete in the Tokyo Games despite testing positive for a banned drug.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) had accepted China’s explanation at the time that the kitchen at their hotel had been contaminated but promised in the wake of the scandal to increase the level of testing of Chinese athletes competing in Paris.