Swimmer Mack Horton blasts doper sitting next to him at press conference

Aussie Coach praises China’s Anti-Doping Efforts

"I have been the (Australian) national coach for 10 years," the story quoted Volkers as saying. "As far as I am concerned, China has been much better in doping-control now."

To redeem its reputation," the article continues, "China launched a vigorous anti-doping campaign with more intensive drug testing and harsher penalties for any doping cheats.

"For Chinese swimming, officials adopted preventive measures in addition to severe punishment.

"'We are working hard to rebuild our credit in international swimming. It will be long-term efforts,' said Yuan Jiawei, chief of the Chinese swimming association.

"'We increase the number of tests each year and change our competition format,' he said. 'And we welcome colleagues from abroad to visit," he added.

China's anti-doping efforts have begun to pay off.

"'China has made good efforts in the fight against doping,' Volkers said.

"'Now I noticed that the Chinese swimmers have become much more friendly and outgoing. That is a good sign,' he said."

The Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA) has decided to issue Kylie Palmer with a reprimand (NB: whatever that is??!), after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appeal against an earlier decision not to bring forward an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) against the Australian. Palmer (pictured) withdrew from the 2015 FINA World Championships this summer, voluntarily accepting a provisional suspension after FINA notified her and Swimming Australia of a 2013 positive test for ‘low levels’ of furosemide.

FINA had initially decided that no action should be taken against Palmer, however this year, WADA decided to appeal to the CAS against FINA’s decision not to bring forward an ADRV against Palmer. The CAS ruling ordered FINA to bring forward the findings as an ADRV, which is why Palmer and Swimming Australia were only alerted to the 2013 positive on 13 April 2015.

An Australian coach who worked with Chinese Olympic swimming sensation Ye Shiwen says he is sickened and saddened by claims his young charge must be on drugs.

Ye's stunning performance in the 400 metre individual medley, where she knocked five seconds off her previous best time, raised the eyebrows of a number of commentators, including a senior US coach, and suggestions that performance-enhancing drugs could have played a role.

Denis Cotterell, the former coach of Olympic gold medallist Grant Hackett, has trained Ye and other top Chinese swimmers.

He said he was "100 per cent certain" Ye was clean and said the questions over doping had been raised by people who do not understand the sport.

"If people do their homework and you have a look at some of the world records ... the margins that they have been dropped by some of the extremely talented swimmers that have applied themselves over the past – it is a combination of their talent and their work ethic."

Cotterell said Ye's five-second improvement to her personal best time was not a one-off.

"[There have] been great achievements by people in the sport, it's part of the history ... and talent comes along and makes a good drop and shocks a few people but we generally seem to have accepted it," he said.

"But for some reason in this case now, it's not, because of the Chinese [history]."

"Ian Thorpe, no one questioned, Michael Phelps, no one questioned. And having worked with the girl and seeing how hard she works and the talent she is, it is disappointing that the kid is in the media conference on her own with 100 journalists having to defend herself."

"[The Chinese swimmers are] brilliant workers and they apply themselves like most other people do not."

Dope-a-one Dope-a-two Dope-a-3 wrote:

BLAST FROM THE PAST!! (2012)

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-08-02/australian-coach-defends-ye-shiwen/4171050

Australian coach defends Chinese swimmer accused of doping

An Australian coach who worked with Chinese Olympic swimming sensation Ye Shiwen says he is sickened and saddened by claims his young charge must be on drugs.

Ye's stunning performance in the 400 metre individual medley, where she knocked five seconds off her previous best time, raised the eyebrows of a number of commentators, including a senior US coach, and suggestions that performance-enhancing drugs could have played a role.

Denis Cotterell, the former coach of Olympic gold medallist Grant Hackett, has trained Ye and other top Chinese swimmers.

He said he was "100 per cent certain" Ye was clean and said the questions over doping had been raised by people who do not understand the sport.

"If people do their homework and you have a look at some of the world records ... the margins that they have been dropped by some of the extremely talented swimmers that have applied themselves over the past – it is a combination of their talent and their work ethic."

Cotterell said Ye's five-second improvement to her personal best time was not a one-off.

"[There have] been great achievements by people in the sport, it's part of the history ... and talent comes along and makes a good drop and shocks a few people but we generally seem to have accepted it," he said.

"But for some reason in this case now, it's not, because of the Chinese [history]."

"Ian Thorpe, no one questioned, Michael Phelps, no one questioned. And having worked with the girl and seeing how hard she works and the talent she is, it is disappointing that the kid is in the media conference on her own with 100 journalists having to defend herself."

"[The Chinese swimmers are] brilliant workers and they apply themselves like most other people do not."