Category: East Asia

China’s doping problem and why it matters

China’s checkered past when it comes to doping, coupled with some more recent positive tests, puts the country on an increasingly unstable footing on the global sporting stage. 

One of the least heralded performances by a Chinese athlete at the Rio Olympics might just turn out to be one of the most significant.

While swimmer Fu Yuanhui became one of the stars of the Games with her refreshing post-race interviews, another backstroker, Liu Yaxin, finished 7th in the final of the 200m backstroke. But it was her performance in the semi-finals that raised eyebrows.

Eye-opening splits

Her 50m splits were 30.81, 32.53, 32.52 and 31.70 for a total time of 2:07.56, good enough for Liu (right) to finish second in her semi, fourth fastest overall.

What connects CCTV with Team GB?

For those not familiar with it, China Central Television, or CCTV, is China’s national broadcaster, which, by default, makes it the largest broadcaster in the world. It has long held the TV broadcast rights for the Olympics, shown largely on CCTV-5, its primary sports channel.

While some in China were lamenting a disappointing performance at the Rio Olympics, as China finished third behind Team GB, it turns out there is one thing China (and its broadcaster) has in common with Team GB: they both made that bag mistake.

On the left, a screenshot of the widely reported story that Team GB’s decision to dole out identical bags backfired rather badly; on the right, a similar scene at Beijing Capital Airport

As Team GB arrived back in London, chaos ensued as athletes picked through hundreds of red bags to find theirs. Meanwhile, CCTV-5’s delegation arrived back in Beijing to similar scenes, as this photo (above right) posted by presenter Shao Shengyi shows.

Perhaps the baggage perk is a new thing, because you would have thought this issue might have cropped up before, but, either way, both teams fail to win medals in the organizational department.

China’s highs and lows at the Rio Olympics

Final Olympic Medal Table

Well, the Olympics aren’t dead just yet.

Despite the widespread negative coverage in the build-up to Rio, once the Games begun, there were enough memorable performances to keep the sporting action in the headlines.

Crucially for Brazil, Neymar and co delivered the one gold that the host country craved above all others – men’s football – with high jumper Thiago Braz da Silva and the men’s volleyball team also uniting the country with their wins.

Elsewhere, Usain Bolt and Michael Phelps (left), who used the Chinese cupping treatment to great effect, somehow managed to enhance their already considerable legacies, while others, such as South African 400m champ Wayde van Niekerk and breaststroker Adam Peaty, started what could be long Olympic journeys of their own.