China hit back at doping claims concerning star swimmer Ye Shiwen on
China hit back at doping claims concerning star swimmer Ye Shiwen on Tuesday as Michael Phelps aimed to become the most decorated Olympic athlete in history.
Teenage star Ye has been besieged by thinly-veiled allegations of doping since her world record-breaking victory in the 400m medley final, with top American coach John Leonard branding her performance “impossible.”
However China’s authorities went on the offensive at Ye’s critics on Thursday, while a slew of Olympic swimming greats, coaches and officials also lined up in support of the 16-year-old sensation.
“The Chinese athletes, including the swimmers, have undergone nearly 100 drug tests since they arrived here,” Jiang Zhixue, the head of anti-doping at China’s General Administration of Sport, told Xinhua news agency.
“Many were also tested by the international federations and the British anti-doping agency. I can tell you that so far there was not a single positive case.
Australian swimming great Ian Thorpe insisted that the large improvements Ye had made to her personal best in the past year were not unusual.
“We have to remember that young swimmers can take chunks of time off that other people can’t,” Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe told the BBC.