Doping Row Overshadows Phelps’ Medal Bid

Top swimmers cautioned against assumptions of doping as a debate over the astonishing performances of a Chinese swimmer threatened to overshadow Michael Phelps’ bid to become the most decorated Olympian of all time yesterday.

Ye Shiwen, 16, was chasing a second gold in yesterday’s 200 metres individual medley final, after winning the 400 medley at the weekend, more than a second inside the world record.

“We want to be very careful about calling it doping,” the American John Leonard, executive director of the World Swimming Coaches Association, had said.

“The one thing I will say is that history in our sport will tell you that every time we see something and I will put quotation marks around this – ‘unbelievable’, history shows us that it turns out later on there was doping involved.”

China briefly dominated women’s swimming in the 1990s, but its reign ended as fast as it began, following a series of doping scandals.

Ye swam the 400 medley five seconds inside her personal best, covering the last 50 metres faster than American Ryan Lochte, who won the equivalent men’s event in the second best time in history.

She issued a quick and firm denial on Monday, telling the China News Service: “My results come from hard work and training and I will never use any banned drugs.”

Australia’s Ian Thorpe, winner of five Olympic swimming golds, warned against rushing to judgment.