FINA defends Chinese swimmers

The world swimming body FINA has again leaped to the defence of China's swimmers over their recent record-breaking performances which have raised new drug allegations. "Until one swimmer is caught using the banned substance, we can't say they are on drugs. All I can say now is to congratulate them for a fine performance," Eldon Godfrey, FINA bureau member, said at the World Junior Diving Championships in Penang.

"Athletes should enjoy his or her moment of success without anyone casting doubt on their performance. Don't speculate without any proof," Godfrey added.

Australian swimming coach Don Talbot said last month that Chinese swimmers are drug cheats and rejected attempts by FINA to defend China.

Talbot accused Chinese swimmers of doping after Chinese swimmers set two world records and clocked other outstanding times at the Chinese National Games in Shanghai.

"I think the performance of China's swimmers in establishing

records is because of the many programmes they have. The swimmers have great skill and power to achieve that," Godfrey said.

He said that FINA had dedicated a lot of money and energy to making the sport drug-free, adding that they spent $460,000 in 1996 to conduct out-of-competition testings.

"Our desire is to see all of our four disciplines drug-free. We are conducting testing on a random basis . . . in and out of competitions. "It's a big job and a costly affair if we want to conduct the test on our own. Some of our affiliates have their own programme and we need the co-operation of all our members to make the sport clean," he added.

On the proposal to have blood tests, Godfrey said he personally thought that would not be a good idea at the moment due to various limitations, including the accuracy of tests and the religious and cultural beliefs of some swimmers. Seven Chinese swimmers failed drug tests at the 1994 Asian Games in Japan, causing one of the biggest doping scandals in sporting history.