Chinese swimmers face increased testing before Paris

Chinese swimmers taking portion successful nan Olympic Games successful Paris will beryllium drug-tested doubly arsenic overmuch arsenic immoderate different nations.

Doping authorities person travel nether unit successful caller months aft it emerged 23 swimmers tested affirmative for a banned constituent and were cleared to compete astatine nan Tokyo Games.

Eleven of those swimmers - that tested affirmative for bosom medicine trimetazidine (TMZ) astatine a training campy 7 months earlier nan delayed Games successful 2021 - person been chosen for Paris.

Governing assemblage World Aquatics, successful a review of nan determination to clear nan 23 swimmers, said spot successful nan anti-doping strategy had been "weakened" by nan handling of nan situation.

But it said nan International Testing Agency (ITA) has committed to testing Chinese athletes 8 times - doubly arsenic overmuch arsenic is modular - betwixt nan commencement of 2024 and nan opening of nan Games successful Paris.

In addition, "best efforts" will beryllium made to person tests of Chinese athletes conducted by an authority different than nan China Anti-Doping Agency (Chinada) and to person nan tests analysed extracurricular of China.

World Aquatics is seeking to reassure athletes aft Michael Phelps, nan astir dressed up Olympian of all-time, said nan World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) cannot beryllium trusted to enforce its policies.

US anti-doping authorities person besides been captious of Wada, which has threatened ineligible action against its critics.

The International Olympic Committee says it has "full confidence" successful Wada and has called connected sporting agencies to show "respect" to nan anti-doping body.