China Announces Paris Roster Which Includes 11 Swimmers Who Tested Positive

The Chinese Swimming Federation has revealed its 31-strong swimming roster for the 2024 Olympic Games.

A squad of 18 females and 13 males will represent the nation in Paris, including 11 athletes involved in the trimetazidine (TMZ) scandal from the 2020 Olympic Games.

As we reported, 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for the banned substance at the start of the calendar year in 2021, about seven months before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The swimmers were not sanctioned by CHINADA, China’s anti-doping agency, as traces of TMZ were reportedly found present in the hotel the swimmers stayed at. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) upheld CHINADA’s decision.

Olympic champions Zhang Yufei and Wang Shun were among those who tested positive and have also been named to the Chinese roster for Paris, along with world record holder Qin Haiyang.

2024 World Championships bronze medalist Yu Yiting who tested positive will be in Paris as well.

Of note, world record holder and Olympic champion Sun Yang was not named on the roster. This is even though the once-banned 32-year-old had reportedly returned to training and also amidst rumors he would be competing at this weekend’s Sette Colli Trophy in Italy.

Even if he did hit a qualifying time by the June 23rd selection deadline, as we reported, China’s Olympic qualification criteria specified that athletes who have been banned for more than one year for doping violations will be disqualified from selection. (NBC Sports)

At the 2020 Olympic Games, China placed 4th in the overall swimming medal table, amassing 6 total medals including 3 golds, 2 silvers and 1 bronze. Golds came from Wang in the men’s 200m IM, Zhang in the women’s 200m fly and the women’s 4x200m free relay which established a new world record.

Females

Zhang Yufei
Ye Shiwen
Li Bingjie
Yang Junxuan
Tang Qianting
Yu Yiting
Peng Xuwei
Wu Qingfeng
Liu Yaxin
Yang Chang
Wan Letian
Wang Xueer
Gao Weizhong
Chen Luying
Tang Muhan
Cheng Yujie
Ge Chutong
Kong Yaqi

Males

Wang Shun
Xu Jiayu
Qin Haiyang
Pan Zhanle
Dong Zhihao
Ji Xinjie
Wang Haoyu
Zhang Zhanshuo
Wang Changhao
Sun Jiajun
Fei Liwei
Chen Juner
Niu Guangsheng

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Robert Chew
4 months ago

Do you think that the Chinese Swimming Federation would be so stupid as to dope the entire Swim Team?!!! The fact that over twenty Swimmers tested positive proves that there must have been a mass contamination at the venue. Wise up people.

Doping is not confined only to the Chinese athletes and it is also predominant in the
U S and the rest of the west too. So let’s stop being xenophobic!

In the Spirit of the Olympic Games – isn’t it every Athlete’s aim is to compete with the Bests in the world or are these western swimmers so fearful that some of the Chinese swimmers would beat them to the Gold?!!!

Robert Chew
4 months ago

All these people from the West need to use their brains a little bit more. Do they really think that the Chinese Swimming Federation will be so stupid as to dope the entire Swim Team?!!! The very fact that over twenty swimmers were tested positive clearly shows that there must have been a mass contamination at the venue. Wake up people!

Sure there might have been some isolated doping cases involving Chinese swimmer in the past but aren’t there also some swimmers from the U S and other western countries caught in the act too?!

In the spirit of The Olympic Games – wouldn’t these moaning western swimmers want to compete with the Bests in the World or are they… Read more »

T Boi Swims
4 months ago

For the record this has nothing to so with Aryan Nighton Shayna Jack or any other Althelete. This is the case of 22 Chinese swimmers who’s testing ceased pre comp, then when tested in competition they ALL tested positive for the same compound that Sun Yang tested positive for in 2014. These highly specific heart medication pills are so hard that after being dropped from 6m or 18 feet, the shell does not crack to cause contamination. Stick to the issue the facts and the cover up. It’s disgraceful and casts a shadow on these games.

tim
4 months ago

where is the difference

tim
4 months ago

Erriyon Knighton tested positive for a metabolite of trenbolone during an out-of-competition drug test on March 26th, 2024! However, the 20-year-old has been cleared by USADA, and it was concluded that his positive test was due to consuming meat containing trenbolone.

billylane
4 months ago

The thing is, if the Chinese swimmers breach the rules, they will not be allowed to participate in the Paris games, apparently it is not the case. USADA launched an allegation and WADA cleared it, that’s it. If you are not happy with it, sue WADA please, leave the swimmers alone!

T Boi Swims
Reply to  billylane
4 months ago

You don’t get to tell us what to do. They cleaely have a national doping program. Sun Yang tested positive for TMZ in 2014. They love the stuff. If you can’t see that you are either blind, have your head in the sand or are a China bot.

billylane
Reply to  T Boi Swims
4 months ago

It’s just your assumption, you don’t have concrete evidence to prove it. If you think you have the evidence, go ahead to sue CHINADA or WADA, bring them to the court.

Sarah Smith
4 months ago

So,if they get to compete and ultimately win, will there be an asterisk at the end of their name? Like the super suit champions?

Scuncan Dott V2
Reply to  Sub13
4 months ago

Yeah bet most of the Americans complaining about the chinese will say nothing about Knighton.

Sub13
Reply to  Scuncan Dott V2
4 months ago

Don’t be so cynical. I’m sure everyone will be treated fairly and equally

hegetsitdoneagain
Reply to  Scuncan Dott V2
4 months ago

nah, ban him too, lyles gonna cook him anyway

Sarah Smith
Reply to  Scuncan Dott V2
4 months ago

The major difference between Knighton and 23 swimmers on the Chinese team, was that Knighton was the only one who had an issue with testing.

billylane
Reply to  Sub13
4 months ago

“Usada said, despite testing positive, there was no fault or negligence on the athlete’s part.” Wow, can we call it double standard?

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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