Qin Haiyang has responded to comments from rival swimmer Adam Peaty, declaring any “doubt” surrounding China’s swimming golds at Paris 2024 as a “joke”. Qin was implicated in a New York Times report alleging that 23 Chinese swimmers, including himself, tested positive for the banned substance trimetazidine (TMZ) in 2021. The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) accepted the findings of a Chinese investigation that attributed the results to contamination from a hotel kitchen, allowing the swimmers to compete in the Tokyo Olympics. Qin, the world champion in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, failed to win individual medals at Paris but was part of the China team that won gold in the 4x100m medley relay.
Adam Peaty says he may retire … and hits out at ‘cheating’ Chinese swimmers https://t.co/yFgGGp1EYF via @Yahoo
Adam Peaty – Swimmer
Cause of Retirement – #China #Cheats— G (@GGennettonian) August 5, 2024
Following the relay, Peaty made comments referencing allegations that Qin had previously tested positive for another performance-enhancing drug in 2017, which was also blamed on contaminated food. Peaty suggested that athletes who have tested positive should be out of the sport, saying, “if you’ve been on that and you’ve been ‘contaminated’ twice I think as an honourable person you should be out of the sport. But we know sport is not that simple.”
In response, Qin posted a picture of the Chinese relay team with their gold medals on Instagram, with a caption stating, “We did it! Olympic champion! Any doubt is just a joke. Stress will only make us stronger.”
Qin’s performance in the 100m breaststroke final saw him finish seventh, and he failed to reach the 200m breaststroke final. Despite this, Qin and his team faced ongoing scrutiny from Peaty and American swimmers Katie Ledecky and Caeleb Dressel, who have been vocal about the scandal.
During the Olympics, Qin released a statement accusing American and European athletes of conspiring to distract Chinese athletes by challenging Wada’s handling of the doping case. He wrote, “This proves that the European and American teams feel threatened by the performances of the Chinese team in recent years. Some tricks aim to disrupt our preparation rhythm and destroy our psychological defence! But we are not afraid. When you have a clear conscience, you do not fear slander.”
‘Cheating’ Chinese should not be at Paris Olympics, British swimmer Adam Peaty says. GB swimmer also urged the World Anti-Doping Agency to ‘wake up and do your job’https://t.co/lcKyO061Vb
— 🌏PEACE✌️☮️🕊♻️🍀#LotusForPOTUS🪷#WeThePeople (@PeaceOutPeaceIn) August 5, 2024
Qin’s defiant stance and the continued scrutiny highlight the tension and controversy surrounding doping allegations in competitive swimming, as well as the challenges faced by athletes in maintaining their reputations amidst such accusations.
Key Points:
i. Doping Allegations: Qin Haiyang responded to comments from rival swimmer Adam Peaty, declaring any “doubt” around China’s swimming golds at Paris 2024 as a “joke”. This follows a New York Times report alleging that 23 Chinese swimmers, including Qin, tested positive for trimetazidine (TMZ) in 2021.
ii. Wada Investigation: The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) accepted a Chinese investigation attributing the positive test results to contamination from a hotel kitchen, allowing the swimmers to compete in the Tokyo Olympics.
iii. Performance in Paris: Qin, a world champion in the 100m and 200m breaststroke, failed to win individual medals at Paris but was part of the China team that won gold in the 4x100m medley relay.
iv. Adam Peaty’s Comments: Adam Peaty suggested that athletes with positive tests should be out of the sport, referencing a 2017 positive test by Qin for another substance blamed on contaminated food.
v. Qin’s Response and Accusations: Qin defended himself on Instagram and accused American and European athletes of attempting to disrupt Chinese preparations by challenging Wada’s handling of the case, asserting that such accusations were meant to destroy their psychological defense.
Conner T – Reprinted with permission of Whatfinger News
