It is quite right that questions should be asked. Anyone who remembers the seventies and the East European domination of Olympic sports, particularly in female events, built (as we now know after the the fall of communism) on pumping drugs into these poor women, will understand why we should not flinch from raising these questions. (If you don't know, here is a link to read http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2000/07/37631). The East German women all passed the drug tests available at that time. This is not about racism.
Those two rowers who won gold were miles ahead of the rest of the pairs. And one only started rowing a few years ago. Must be on drugs, only explanation.
Oh, what's that?, they're British, you say. Ok, scrub that, great win, fully deserved.
But the two rowers have stood out most of this year, they have been there or thereabouts. The swimmer has been pelt and all of a sudden she swims as quick as a man, I smell a (water) rat!
She is the current world champion
Fair shout, I heard on TV this morning that she has not won anything, maybe it was to do with her times rapidly improving in the London Drug Games! Must turn hearing aid up! Also they keep samples for 8 years, and re-test them when new anti doping tests become available, so we will know in 8 years.
'I smell a (water) rat'. Is this one of the procedures they use in the testing labs then? I agree that the approach to sport in China is questionable at times, and they have flaws in their system. But other sports in other places also have their problems too...cycling anybody?
I suppose it is right to raise questions after such an incredible performance, but surely not in public right after she has made an incredible achievement, it takes all the shine off it. And although I may get called unpleasant things for saying so, given China's (deserved) reputation for doping athletes it is possible that even IF the girl has been given performance enhancers she may not even have done it willingly/knowingly. It can't be hard to slip some into whatever diet she has to take.
I'm glad that the Americans have brought the cheating Chinese to our attention. All American sportstars are clean except Jessica Hardy, Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery, Justin Gatlin, Carl Lewis, Flo Jo, Floyd Landis, many of their baseball and American football players etc etc etc. Dwain Chambers knew the score; when he wanted performance enhancing drugs he went to the good old USA.
Now China has become a massive global economic powerhouse they are able to fund more training programs into sports they traditionally lagged behind the West such as track and field,
I hope very much for her sake that she's clean but there's still a nagging doubt. The argument you use could also be used to suggest that the Chinese Govt might not mind spending a vast sum of money paying scientists to work on the cloaking of performance-enhancing drugs.
Here's a recent article on alleged US practices in the past: velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/news/usada-letter-paints-dark-picture-of-armstrong-era_223925 So it's a little ironic that an american coach cast the first stone at the chinese swimmer! Hey, I wonder why that american swimmer - can't remember his name - did so well at previous games but not quite so well this year?
I get the problem with the way these comments always seem to get thrown in the direction of the former/current communist block countries which I don't think is fair. However, it has to be acknowledge that these kinds of States do have a bit of a history of systematic and organised doping. Not to say that the western nations haven't at times been guilty of it too so there is a double standard there or at the very least there is little justification for the 'holier than thou' attitude.
However, if you are truly determined to stamp down on doping, surely it is essential that you treat spectacular and out of the blue performances like this with a certain amount of scepticism? It's a shame because it does take some of the awe and wonder out of the spectical, but if you're not looking for cheats you won't find any.
The US team being so public in their questioning of Shiwen's credentials is a bit classless though imo when there are surely official channels for raising such concerns.
An old friend knew one of GB's shot putters in the late 80's/early 90's and was told how, when the " official testers" arrived at the Training Camp in Portugal, Linford & Fatima broke the world record for exiting out of the nearest window....allegedly .
Interesting that no one has questioned the achievements of the 15-year-old Lithuanian gold medallist in the same way - but maybe because she is living and training here, it is taken for granted that she must be clean.
has anyone got a video link for this, searching for it on youtube just reaffirms how full of crap the internet is... i found a lovely animation of her being injected with performance enhancing drugs by a giant panda, not what i was really looking for
Once you start with this where do you end? Is anyone going to accuse the british swimmer jameson who won silver yesterday with the fourth fastest swim of all time (and a massive pb) of taking drugs? As others have said innocent until proven guilty.
There is nothing wrong with referring to her as "Chinese swimmer", or with referring to anyone at the Olympics by their nationality. At the Olympics they are competing for their country and not as an individual. Every single news programme has referred to competitors with their nationality.
Once you start with this where do you end? Is anyone going to accuse the british swimmer jameson who won silver yesterday with the fourth fastest swim of all time (and a massive pb) of taking drugs? As others have said innocent until proven guilty.
Ok. I must have it wrong. Singling out the Chinese swimmer from all of the others to suggest there is something dodgy, is just a random happenstance, and not racist against the Chinese.
Comments
Also they keep samples for 8 years, and re-test them when new anti doping tests become available, so we will know in 8 years.
I agree that the approach to sport in China is questionable at times, and they have flaws in their system.
But other sports in other places also have their problems too...cycling anybody?
Here's a recent article on alleged US practices in the past:
velonews.competitor.com/2012/06/news/usada-letter-paints-dark-picture-of-armstrong-era_223925
So it's a little ironic that an american coach cast the first stone at the chinese swimmer!
Hey, I wonder why that american swimmer - can't remember his name - did so well at previous games but not quite so well this year?
However, if you are truly determined to stamp down on doping, surely it is essential that you treat spectacular and out of the blue performances like this with a certain amount of scepticism? It's a shame because it does take some of the awe and wonder out of the spectical, but if you're not looking for cheats you won't find any.
The US team being so public in their questioning of Shiwen's credentials is a bit classless though imo when there are surely official channels for raising such concerns.
if she has taken drugs it will be proven as of yet she is clean and i think that it should be recognised that she done something amzing
the amount of seconds knocked off between the ages of 14 and 16 by swimmers of that level is huge nothing really different to what she done
Linford was the man when i was a youngster now when i hear his name i remember the scandle first and his achievements second
Just checking.
An average high school kid starts at 7am and finishes at around 10pm. Now just imagine what their star athletes have to go through.