‘Cheating’ claims have plagued the talk in the pool
The official Olympic rules on drugs testing during the games have been revealed as ‘cheating’ concerns grow in Paris.
While the Paris Olympics has so far been full of highlights and world records being smashed, there’s no doubt a lot of controversy has also been present within the games.
The boxing gender eligibility row is an obvious one that comes to mind, though there has also been huge talk surrounding fairness in the swimming pool.
China has performed particularly well in the swimming events, picking up many gold medals in the pool.
Qin Haiyang posing with his teammates after winning gold in Paris. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Testing positive for a banned substance
However, many have been critical of the Olympics’ decision to allow some of them to compete after nine Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the Tokyo Olympics picking up medals in Paris.
The swimmers were eventually allowed to compete after it was concluded they had unknowingly ingested the drug as a result of contaminated food.
Nonetheless, the move to allow the athletes to compete in the 2024 Olympics has been a divisive one, with some of the biggest stars to ever compete in the Olympics weighing in on the debate.
Michael Phelps’ stance on the debate
Michael Phelps, who won a total of 28 Olympic medals throughout his swimming career, told the press on Monday: “If you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again, cut and dry. I believe one and done.
“It does break my heart to see people put hard effort into four straight years to prepare for an Olympic Games, then to have it taken away from them by somebody who is cheating.
“It’s not right. I stand for that and I will always stand for that.”
The Olympic legend concluded: “Go ahead and go to the cheater games. Keep the Olympics about integrity.”
Michael Phelps has been critical of athletes who test positive for banned substances. (Luke Hales /Getty Images)
What are the official Olympics rules on drug testing throughout the Olympic Games?
The process – defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency – sees athletes who are competing in the Olympics potentially being tested at any time, with no advance notice required.
They may be asked to provide a urine or a blood sample at any time.
However, that doesn’t mean Olympians don’t have rights in this process.
Just to name a few, athletes can have a representative to accompany them, while they can, of course, ask questions during the test. They can also request a delay for a valid reason, as well as request special assistance or modifications to the process.
As for the athletes’ responsibilities, they must report to testing immediately if they are selected and show valid identification if required.
China’s Zhanle Pan celebrates a gold medal in the men’s 100m freestyle final. (Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
Team USA’s current medal count – 86
Gold medalists
- Lee Kiefer: Fencing – Women’s individual foil
- Torri Huske: Swimming – Women’s 100m butterfly
- Jack Alexj, Chris Guiliano, Hunter Armstrong, Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Held, Matt King: Swimming – Men’s 4x100m freestyle
- Simone Biles, Suni Lee, Jordan Chiles, Jade Carey, Hezly Rivera: Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s team competition
- Katie Ledecky: Swimming – Women’s 1500m freestyle
- Nick Mead, Justin Best, Michael Grady and Liam Corrigan: Rowing – Men’s coxless four
- Jacqueline Dubrovich, Lee Kiefer, Lauren Scruggs, Maia Mei Weintraub – Fencing: Women’s foil team
- Simone Biles: Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s individual all-around
- Kate Douglass: Swimming – Women’s 200m breaststroke
- Simone Biles: Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s vault
- Vincent Hancock: Shooting – Men’s skeet
- Ryan Crouser: Athletics – Men’s shot put
- Katie Ledecky: Swimming – Women’s 800m freestyle
- Nic Fink, Torri Huske, Ryan Murphy, Gretchen Walsh: Swimming – Mixed 4x100m medley relay
- Bobby Finke: Swimming – Men’s 1500m freestyle
- Kristen Faulkner: Cycling – Women’s road race
- Scottie Scheffler: Golf – Men’s individual stroke play
- Noah Lyles: Athletics – Men’s 100m
- Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh and Torri Huske: Swimming – Women’s 4x100m medley relay
- Valarie Allman: Athletics – Women’s discus throw
- Caroline Marks: Surfing – Women’s Shortboard
- Cole Hocker: Track and field – Men’s 1500m
- Gabby Thomas: Track and field – Women’s 200m
- Amit Elor: Wrestling – Women’s freestyle 68kg
Silver medalists
- Nic Fink: Swimming – Men’s 100m breaststroke
- Lauren Scruggs: Fencing – Women’s individual foil
- Gretchen Walsh: Swimming – Women’s 100m butterfly
- Haley Batten: Mountain Bike – Women’s cross country
- Kate Douglass, Gretchen Walsh. Torri Huske, Simone Manuel, Erika Connolly, Abbey Weitzel: Swimming – Women’s 4x100m freestyle
- Sarah Bacon and Kassidy Cook: Diving – Women’s springboard 3m synchronised
- Katie Grimes: Swimming – Women’s 400m individual medley
- Jagger Eaton: Skateboarding – Men’s street
- Regan Smith: Swimming – Women’s 100m backstroke
- Bobby Finke: Swimming – Men’s 800m freestyle
- Carson Foster, Brooks Curry, Chris Guiliano, Luke Hobson, Drew Kibler, Blake Pieroni, Kieran Smith: Swimming – Men, 4x200m freestyle
- Perris Benegas: Cycling – Women’s BMX freestyle
- Torri Huske: Swimming – Women’s 100m freestyle
- Regan Smith: Swimming – Women’s 200m butterfly
- Erin Gemell, Katie Ledecky, Paige Madden, Simone Manuel, Anna Peplowski, Alex Shackell, Claire Weinstein: Swimming – Women’s 4x200m freestyle
- Karl Cook, Laura Kraut, McLain Ward: Equestrian – Jumping team
- Sagen Maddalena: Shooting – Women, 50m rifle 3 positions
- Regan Smith: Swimming – Women’s 200m backstroke
- Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram: Tennis – Men’s doubles
- Conner Prince: Shooting – Men’s skeet
- Joe Kovacs: Athletics – Men’s shot put
- Kaylyn Brown, Bryce Deadmon, Shamier Little, Vernon Norwood: Athletics – 4x400m relay mixed
- Sha’Carri Richardson: Athletics – Women’s 100m
- Kate Douglass: Swimming – Women’s 200m individual medley
- Brady Ellison: Archery: Men’s individual
- Hunter Armstrong, Caeleb Dressel, Nic Fink, Ryan Murphy: Swimming – Men’s 4x100m medley relay
- Seth Rider, Taylor Spivey, Morgan Pearson and Taylor Knibb: Triathlon – Mixed relay
- Simone Biles: Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s floor exercise
- Sam Kendricks: Athletics – Men’s pole vault
- Vincent Hancock and Jewell Austen Smith: Shooting – Mixed team skeet
- Annette Nneka Echikunwoke: Track and field – Women’s hammer throw
Bronze medalists
- Carson Foster: Swimming – Men’s 400m individual medley
- Katie Ledecky: Swimming – Women’s 400m freestyle
- Chloe Dygert: Cycling – Women’s individual time trial
- Frederick Richard, Brody Malone, Stephen Nedoroscik, Paul Juda, Asher Hong: Artistic Gymnastics – Men’s team competition
- Nick Itkin: Fencing – Men’s foil individual
- Emma Weyant: Swimming – Women’s 400m individual medley
- Ryan Murphy: Swimming – Men’s 100m backstroke
- Luke Hobson: Swimming – Men’s 200m freestyle
- Nyjah Huston: Skateboarding – Men’s street
- Ilona Maher, Kayla Canett, Lauren Doyle, Alev Kelter, Kristi Kirshe, Sarah Levy, Alena Olsen, Ariana Ramsey, Steph Rovetti, Alex Sedrick, Sammy Sullivan, Naya Tapper: Rugby 7s – Women’s team competition
- Katharine Berkoff: Swimming – Women’s 100m backstroke
- Evy Leibfarth: Canoe slalom – Women’s Canoe Single
- Suni Lee: Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s individual all-around
- Casey Kaufhold, Brady Ellison: Archery – Mixed Team
- Grant Fisher: Athletics – Men’s 10,000m
- Ian Barrows and Hans Henken: Sailing – Men’s skiff
- Henry Hollingsworth, Nick Rusher, Christian Tabash, Clark Dean, Chris Carlson, Peter Chatain, Evan Olson, Pieter Quinton: Rowing – Men’s eight
- Stephen Nedoroscik: Gymnastics – Men’s pommel horse
- Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul: Tennis – Men’s doubles
- Jade Carey: Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s vault
- Jasmine Moore: Athletics – Women’s triple jump
- Melissa Jefferson: Athletics – Women’s 100m
- Paige Madden: Swimming – Women’s 800m freestyle
- Suni Lee: Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s uneven bars
- Austen Jewell Smith: Shooting – Women’s skeet
- Fred Kerley: Athletics – Men’s 100m
- Jordan Chiles: Artistic Gymnastics – Women’s floor exercise
- Cierra Burdick, Dearica Hamby, Rhyne Howard, Hailey van Lith: 3×3 basketball – Women’s competition
- Yared Nuguse: Track and field: Men’s 1500m
- Brittany Brown: Track and field – Women’s 200m
- Omari Jones: Boxing – Men’s 71kg
