WADA chief praises China's anti-doping efforts
Source: Xinhua |
July 27, 2012, Friday
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Print Edition
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OCCASIONAL doping instances will not take China back to the shadowy past when drug scandals harmed the country's image, the world anti-doping head said on Wednesday.
China was once accused of systematic doping after a number of infamous cases involving Chinese swimmers came to light at the 1994 Asian Games. There have been concerns that the recent positive case of world swimming champion Li Zhesi might dent the country's reputation one again which has been salvaged after 20 years of efforts in cracking down on drug cheats.
World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) chief John Fahey, however, played down the possibility. He said before and after the Olympics Games in Beijing, he saw convincing evidence of the country's determination to stamp out doping.
"In the lead up to the Beijing and after Beijing, there were a number of international championships conducted in China. I found enormous efforts were made by China to adopt the Code and practise properly," he said in London yesterday.
"I have not suggested that China is going to revert to the sort of record they had a decade or so ago. I believe the commitment is still on and it's very good."
Since suffering a heavy blow in 1994, China has stepped up the campaign in rooting out drug cheats with an increasing number of doping tests, continuous education, as well as tough punishments, usually involving a life ban for national team athletes if they violated the rules before or during the National Games or the Olympic Games.
Fahey said he found that China had learnt a good lesson from the past and did really well now. "I think China has recognized that there is a lot to be benefitted from succeeding in sport and a lot more to be benefitted from succeeding in sport when your athletes are clean and they are making a real effort," he said.
China carried out over 3,000 pre-Olympic anti-doping tests on athletes who were likely to compete in London.
China was once accused of systematic doping after a number of infamous cases involving Chinese swimmers came to light at the 1994 Asian Games. There have been concerns that the recent positive case of world swimming champion Li Zhesi might dent the country's reputation one again which has been salvaged after 20 years of efforts in cracking down on drug cheats.
World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) chief John Fahey, however, played down the possibility. He said before and after the Olympics Games in Beijing, he saw convincing evidence of the country's determination to stamp out doping.
"In the lead up to the Beijing and after Beijing, there were a number of international championships conducted in China. I found enormous efforts were made by China to adopt the Code and practise properly," he said in London yesterday.
"I have not suggested that China is going to revert to the sort of record they had a decade or so ago. I believe the commitment is still on and it's very good."
Since suffering a heavy blow in 1994, China has stepped up the campaign in rooting out drug cheats with an increasing number of doping tests, continuous education, as well as tough punishments, usually involving a life ban for national team athletes if they violated the rules before or during the National Games or the Olympic Games.
Fahey said he found that China had learnt a good lesson from the past and did really well now. "I think China has recognized that there is a lot to be benefitted from succeeding in sport and a lot more to be benefitted from succeeding in sport when your athletes are clean and they are making a real effort," he said.
China carried out over 3,000 pre-Olympic anti-doping tests on athletes who were likely to compete in London.
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