Chinese swimmers lead in doping tests in 2024

Among them, women's champion Tang Qianting underwent 38 tests, making her the most frequently tested swimmer that year.

The China swimming team has been under heavy scrutiny due to past doping scandals, including Olympic record holder Sun Yang's positive test and a subsequent case involving a group of 23 athletes. As a result, Chinese swimmers are monitored more closely than athletes from other nations, the South China Morning Post reported.

Chinese swimmer Tang Qianting. Photo by Instagram/@tangquianting_

In 2023, all of the top 22 swimmers tested for doping were Chinese, with Qin Haiyang undergoing 46 tests, Zhang Yufei 43 and Li Bingjie 42. In 2024, that number rose to 32 swimmers, all from China. Qin, a standout performer, was tested 35 times last year, second only to Tang.

On average, each Chinese swimmer who competed at the 2024 Paris Olympics was tested 21 times by different organizations, including the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). This number for American swimmers is six and for Australian swimmers is four.

Chinese swimmers have risen over the past years to compete with powerhouses like the U.S. and Australia. At the 2022 World Championships in Hungary, China earned only one gold medal, far behind the U.S. (17) and Australia (6). However, by 2024, China claimed seven golds, just one shy of the U.S. and well ahead of Australia's three.

Despite the intense testing, Chinese swimming has seen no new doping cases since the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.