The Paris Olympics 2024 has been hit by yet another controversy surrounding Chinese swimmer Pan Zhanle who won gold in the 100 meters freestyle. The Olympic champion achieved the feat in 46.40 seconds to beat nearest rival Kyle Chalmers of Australia by more than a second.
The 19-year-old broke his own 100 meters freestyle world record, shaving 0.40 seconds off the previous timing he set at the World Championships in Doha in February.
Turmoil in the Water at Paris Olympics 2024
Zhanle’s glory at the Paris Olympics 2024, however, triggered a row in the swimming world with many questioning the possibility of the achievemtn. Australian coach and commentator Brett Hawke remarked that the feat was not “humanly possible”. On his Instagram, Hawke posted “It’s not humanly possible to beat that field” and that the swim was “not real life. Not in that pool, against that field.”
On the other hand, Chinese media and netizens came in support of their champion. China Daily said, “ He (Zhanle) completed rigorous doping test programs prior to and during the games with zero positive results.”
Members of the Chinese swimming team have been engulfed in doping row in recent months. This comes on the back of 23 prominent Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug in 2021 ahead of the last Olympic Games in Tokyo. 11 of these athletes are competing at the Paris Games.
In his defense, Zhanle said that he took 21 doping tests from May to July prior to the Paris Olympic 2024. “I cooperated with all the testing procedures and stayed confident that I am competing fair and clean,” he told Chinese Daily.
Also Read: Paris Olympics 2024: Elon Musk Defends Boxer Angela Carini After Shocking Defeat
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the international organization monitoring drug use by athletes, acknowledged that it kept the 2021 results secret and accepted China’s investigation that said that the positive tests were the result of accidental contamination.
The WADA never conducted its own independent investigation and allowed the accused Chinese athletes to compete in the Paris Games without interruption.
