NANTERRE.- Wang Shun, swimmer chinovehemently denied cheating after winning a bronze medal in the men’s 200m individual medley at the Paris Olympics Friday night.
Wang became the second Chinese swimmer linked to a doping scandal to claim a place on the medal podium at these games, after Zhang Yufei.
Zhang has won three medals at La Defense Arena, taking bronze in the 100m and 200m butterfly, as well as a bronze in the 4x100m freestyle relay.
Zhang and Wang were among 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. They were allowed to compete without penalty, and were not identified until media reports this year of failed tests that went unpunished.
Wang made much the same comments as Zhang had earlier this week. He said he had undergone extensive testing ahead of the Paris meeting.
“Chinese swimmers only compete fairly,” he stressed. “That is our goal.”
Tests everywhere
Wang said she underwent testing 28 times — “an average of two per week” — as she completed her qualification for the Olympic team in May.
“In the two weeks before the Olympics, I underwent 11 tests,” he added. “All of these prove my innocence.”
With two days to go in the Olympic swimming competition, China has won eight medals, half of them related to the doping scandal. It is behind only the United States (21) and Australia (13) in the overall medal table.
China’s only gold medallist, Pan Zhanle, set the competition’s only world record in the 100m freestyle. He was not on the list of swimmers who tested positive before Tokyo.
Source: AP