Recently, the United States media has caused widespread controversy about the drug testing of the Chinese swimming team and its athletes, especially the drug test of Walsh, the United States women's 100m butterfly world record holder, the rival of Chinese star Zhang Yufei. After a long exchange of public opinion, well-known swimming websites in United States
SWIMSWAM FINALLY PUBLISHED AN ARTICLE CLARIFYING A WIDELY CIRCULATED CLAIM THAT WALSH DIDN'T FAIL TO GET TESTED FOR THE WHOLE YEAR, BUT THAT THERE WAS A MISREADING.
In the article, SWIMSWAM explains in detail the complex testing system that swimmers in the United States receive. Originally, United States swimmers were subject to the supervision of several agencies, including the United States Anti-Doping Agency, the World Aquatics Association, and the United States Collegiate Athletic Association. Testing records between these agencies are not fully public, and some publish testing data while others do not. Therefore, when Chinese netizens only inquire through the system of the World Aquatics Federation, they will naturally ignore the testing records of Walsh by other institutions.
ACCORDING TO SWIMSWAM, WALSH UNDERWENT THREE DRUG TESTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2023 AND A WHOPPING SEVEN IN THE SECOND QUARTER, FOR A TOTAL OF NINE DRUG TESTS FOR THE YEAR. This data is obviously very different from the "zero drug test" record queried by Chinese netizens. The explanation of the United States media is that the test records of different institutions are not made public, which has led to misunderstandings from the outside world.
However, this clarification did not quell the anger of Chinese netizens. They have questioned why China's top swimmers such as Zhang Yufei and Qin Haiyang have undergone more than 40 drug tests in the past year, while United States stars have been tested relatively rarely. IN RESPONSE, SWIMSWAM ARGUES THAT THIS DIFFERENCE IN TESTING FREQUENCY IS A TARGETED TESTING STRATEGY BASED ON RISK ASSESSMENT. That is, countries or teams that have historically had more doping problems will face more frequent testing for their members.
However, such an explanation is obviously difficult to convince Chinese netizens. They point out that the purpose of drug testing is to ensure the fairness of the competition and the health of the athletes, and not to discriminate based on nationality or history. If athletes are tested to different standards because of certain external factors, then this is undoubtedly a serious violation of the principle of fairness in sport.
In this confrontation of public opinion, the Chinese media and netizens showed a strong sense of justice and determination to defend fairness. Not only did they demand that the United States media respect the truth, but they also called for a unified and transparent drug testing mechanism to ensure that all athletes can compete on a level playing field. At the same time, the Chinese swimming team also proved its innocence and strength through practical actions, and used its results to fight back against those groundless accusations and slanders.
It is worth noting that this controversy is not only about the personal honor and rights of athletes, but also reflects the complex ecology of public opinion and the value pursuit of fair competition behind sports events. On the international sports stage, athletes from all countries should be subject to the same rigorous and impartial testing. Only in this way can we ensure the fairness and purity of the competition, so that every athlete can pursue their dreams and win glory for the country in a fair environment.
Looking ahead, we expect the U.S. and China to compete more fiercely and fairly in swimming. At the same time, we also call on all media and the public to view athletes and sports events in a more rational and objective manner, and jointly uphold the fairness, justice and dignity of sportsmanship.