China Shrug Off Doping Controversy, Win 12 Olympic Swimming Medals

Paris, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 5th Aug, 2024) Pan Zhanle and stalwart Zhang Yufei spearheaded China to 12 Olympic medals in the Paris pool, shrugging off intense scrutiny over a doping controversy that engulfed the team ahead of the Games.

Their haul -- two gold, three silver and seven bronze -- was an improvement on their total Tokyo collection of nine.

Once again, they finished behind perennial pacesetters the United States and Australia.

The team came to Paris under a dark cloud after the New York Times reported in April that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) ahead of Tokyo.

China claimed it was the result of food contamination -- an explanation accepted by the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA).

But US anti-doping authorities angered their Chinese counterparts by accusing WADA of covering up the facts of the case and the scandal overshadowed their preparations.

Butterfly ace Zhang, on the scene for a decade with 10 Olympic medals to her name, including five bronze in Paris, was reportedly among the 23 and admitted it had been stressful in France.

"I competed very well with friends from different countries, now I come to participate in the Olympic Games I am very worried that my good friends look at me with (suspicious) eyes and they do not want to compete with me," she said.

"I am worried that French people think that Chinese athletes do not deserve to stand on this stage."

In fact, fans at La Defense Arena were respectful, greeting Chinese athletes with applause.

Zhang, who again anchored the team, urged any doubters to look at the details of the case.

"Each one of us was tested 20 to 30 times in two months, three to four times a week on average," she said, noting none were positive.