No fun without ‘fair fight’ for Peaty after Chinese doping saga
PARIS – As the Paris Olympics draw near, Adam Peaty and other British swimmers said there needs to be a level-playing field after some of their Chinese counterparts escaped punishment for testing positive for a banned drug.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) confirmed reports in April that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) – a medication that increases blood flow to the heart – before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
It accepted the Chinese antidoping agency’s (Chinada) findings that the positive tests were due to accidental food substance contamination.
An independent investigation found no favouritism or mishandling by Wada in the case, and a World Aquatics audit also concluded there was no mismanagement or cover-up by the governing body.
But that led to unhappiness among many swimmers, concerned that the Chinese swimmers were let off too easily regardless of the circumstances.
Ahead of the Games this week, two-time Olympic 100m breaststroke champion Peaty reiterated that he wants a “fair fight”, as reports emerged that the China swim team in Paris will have 11 athletes who were part of the 23.
“If it’s not fair then it takes the enjoyment out for me,” he said on July 20.
Tom Dean, who won gold in the 200m freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics, said Britain’s swimmers were held to the highest standards when it came to doping.
“I think if other countries aren’t living up to that standard, then it’s a real shame that brings a real dark cloud over what the Olympics is meant to stand for,” he said.
Freya Colbert, the 400m medley world champion, added that it was upsetting to see reports of other competitors not being tested rigorously.
“I think it ruins the reliability of the results,” she said.
Besides doping, security concerns are also an issue in the leadup to the Paris Games.
The French capital is on high alert amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, particularly for the unprecedented opening ceremony which will take place on the Seine river.
Peaty, however, dismissed concerns when asked about the safety of British athletes in the city and expressed trust in France’s security forces.
“In Rio (2016) we had Zika virus, Tokyo we had Covid. There’s always got to be something,” the 29year-old added.
“All I’ve got to focus on is swimming the best I can, performing the best I can. And then those people in charge of what they need to be in charge of, I put full faith in them.”