Daily Times

Australian swimming coach Denis Cotterell has rejected allegations of orchestrated doping in Chinese swimming, saying the east Asian nation is adamant about clean sport.

Cotterell is working with China’s top swimmers in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics and previously coached 1,500 metres freestyle world record holder Sun Yang, who is now suspended for a doping offence. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) confirmed reports over the weekend that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned drug before the Tokyo Olympics.

WADA said it had accepted China’s findings that the results were due to contamination and decided against appealing the matter, triggering criticism from top swimmers and the U.S. anti-doping authority.

Cotterell told the Sydney Morning Herald he stood by his swimmers “100%” and said any positive test results in Chinese swimming were not part of a state-run programme.

“I am happy to say I´m absolutely in support of my swimmers and dispute any suggestion of anything orchestrated,” Cotterell said.

“The suggestion that it’s systemic is so far from anything I have seen here the whole time. “They are so adamant on having clean sport. “It’s sad to see what this suggests or looks like. It´s unfortunate for everyone. I feel for the athletes here because of how hard they work now to eliminate the tag that was garnered in the ’90s.” Chinese swimming was engulfed in several doping scandals during the 1990s, with multiple athletes failing drug tests before and during major championships.