Whistleblower Alleges FINA Vice President Behaved Unethically At Tokyo 2020

Concerns over the ethical conduct of FINA vice president Zhou Jihong have been further raised after a whistleblower issued a follow-up complaint to the international governing body over the alleged actions that go far beyond the initial incident.

INITIAL COMPLAINT

Back in February, we reported how Diving New Zealand issued a complaint on behalf of official Lisa Wright against Zhou shortly after the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in September 2021, claiming Zhou verbally abused her after the conclusion of the men’s platform diving final in Tokyo.

The FINA Ethics Panel ultimately concluded that there wasn’t enough evidence to sustain the complaints made by Wright and Diving New Zealand, and that due to the “unfortunate” nature of the incident, it’s likely that Zhou and Wright have different impressions of what transpired.

Zhou was required to issue a formal apology to Wright, which she accepted, and the panel recommended the position held by Zhou during the event, Bureau Liaison Person, be removed to mitigate confusion.

WHISTLEBLOWER COMPLAINT

After the initial complaint was filed, a whistleblower stepped forward and issued a lengthy complaint against Zhou. The report was submitted by former New Zealand diver Simon Latimer, who is now a member of the FINA Diving Technical Committee.

Latimer’s claims include that Zhou has used her power to try and manipulate diving results, and her alleged abuse of Wright was in relation to her not scoring the two Chinese divers high enough (despite the fact they went 1-2 in the event).

Independent FINA evaluator scores showed they agreed with Wright’s scoring of the Chinese divers despite Zhou’s claims.

Latimer alleges that Zhou approached him early on in the Olympic diving competition, during an event in which he was the referee, and asked him why Wright had given “competitors to China” high scores.

“I got the impression she was hoping that I would speak to Lisa about her scoring of the Chinese divers and potentially pressure her into increasing her awards,” Latimer wrote.

The claims also note that Zhou coached Chinese divers throughout the diving competition in Tokyo while holding her position as FINA Vice President and Diving Bureau Liasion. Latimer says that Zhou has been “regularly observed” coaching at other major FINA diving events, and that having a “senior FINA official coaching surreptitiously on poolside at major diving events is inappropriate and incites allegations of collusion.”

Latimer claims that Zhou engages in bullying tactics towards judges who she believes don’t reward the Chinese divers with the scores she expects, and that she uses her power to manipulate the panels and pick and choose the judges who are officiating the critical stages of the competition.

FINA finally published the original Ethics Panel decision in early April, over four months after it was completed.

While FINA’s only disciplinary moves in the wake of the Diving New Zealand complaint made on Wright’s behalf was for Zhou to issue a formal apology and the request to remove the Bureau Liasion Person position, the organization has yet to make a move regarding Latimer’s claims.

FINA reportedly told Kiwi outlet Stuff that Zhou can’t be investigated for the same complaint twice, garnering Latimer’s allegations moot.

Zhou, 57, was China’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist in diving, having won the 1984 title in the women’s platform event. She was voted as one of FINA’s five vice presidents in June at the FINA General Congress 2021 in Doha, Qatar.

The FINA Ethics Panel was formed in 2017, and the members for the 2021-2025 term were elected at the General Congress in June.

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Beijing2008
1 year ago

Just ask the neutral judges from the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing about the special gifts they got from Ji-Hong.

Diving coach
1 year ago

😡😡😡 get rid of her now

El Zapata
1 year ago

Ups to Simon and Lisa for speaking out. Size 10 courage.

Video guy
1 year ago

Here is a link to Jihong clearly coaching a Chinese platform diver in Tokyo. This is coaching. Don’t tell me otherwise. Her lack of integrity choreographs nicely with the music

https://streamable.com/6zdpob

Tim
Reply to  Video guy
1 year ago

CHEATER

Euro dive
Reply to  Video guy
1 year ago

Very bad look. Not the only video I have seen of her doing this. There are a few going around today

Vadim
Reply to  Video guy
1 year ago

Wonder what the new President thinks of this one

Max
1 year ago

FINA has obvious pecuniary connections to China and Russia. I mean the organisation gave Putin its highest award when he invaded Ukraine in 2014. Yet now they just rushed to disbar Putin to try and look good.

Snouts in the trough the lot of them

Tim
1 year ago

money money money $$$

K. 1
1 year ago

The Iron Lady of China is a crook

Tim
1 year ago

There is no way zhou can be permitted on poolside at future major events. that will be torture for her.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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