Olympic Swimmers React to Chinese Doping Scandal After Men’s Medley Triumph

China clinched victory in the men’s 4×100-meter medley relay, finishing in 3 minutes, 27.46 seconds. Notably, two of the four relay team members are among the 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for banned substances before the Tokyo 2020 Games.

NANTERRE, France — The Chinese doping controversy cast a shadow over the Paris Olympics, prompting reactions from top athletes as the games concluded on Sunday night.

Despite the swirling scandal, China emerged victorious in the men’s relay. Their win included participants previously implicated in doping. The Chinese authorities had allowed these swimmers to compete, attributing the positive test results to contaminated food.

“One of my favorite quotes lately is, ‘There’s no point in winning if you don’t win it fair,’” remarked British swimmer Adam Peaty, whose team finished fourth. “Even if you cross the line first but cheat, you’re not truly a winner. Honor dictates that if you test positive twice, you should be out of the sport. Yet, sport is never that straightforward.”

Further complicating matters, The New York Times disclosed that two additional Chinese swimmers, including a participant in the 2024 Olympics, had tested positive for banned substances in 2022. Chinese officials cleared them to compete.

Having remained silent all week, Peaty finally decided to voice his disillusionment with what he perceives as a compromised system.

Soon after the men’s win, China secured bronze in the women’s 4×100 medley. Zhang Yufei, another swimmer from the group of 23, was part of this team.

Zhang explained that she and her teammates underwent rigorous testing—three to four times a week—in the lead-up to the Paris Games. This followed a doping scandal implicating 23 Chinese swimmers. The World Anti-Doping Agency defended its choice to clear those who had tested positive for a banned heart medication before the Tokyo Games.