- China has blamed Australian beef for its failed drugs tests
- Two swimmers tested positive for a steroid in 2022
- WADA accepted their explanation and they served 12-month bans
China has reportedly attributed Australian beef as the source of two of its star swimmers testing positive for steroids two years ago.
According to News Corp, state security services in China have tested beef imports from Australia, leading to bemusement from officials in the meat industry Down Under.
The two stars were banned for just 12 months and their positive drug tests were kept secret from the swimming community, leading to questions of the World Anti Doping Agency.
Australia have strongly condemned China’s history with drugs in swimming, leading to intrigue surrounding the beef argument levelled against Aussie meat suppliers.
A statement from Meat and Livestock Australia read: ‘Menthandienone is not used in any capacity in Australian beef production or in any veterinary medicine.’
It remains unclear whether Australian beef producers were interviewed in WADA’s wider investigation to ascertain which hormones are given to their cattle.
Swimmers have lost faith in the drug testing system, with 200m breaststroke hopeful Zac Stubblety-Cook saying athletes had been ‘failed’.
Team USA superstar Kate Ledecky was far from impressed by China’s excuse.
China have blamed Australia for two of its swimming stars failing drug tests
The Chinese claim contaminated Australian beef is the cause of failed drugs tests
Australian swimmer Zac Stubblety-Cook says he has lost faith in the drug testing system
She said: ‘I read the report this morning. I think I’ve made my thoughts pretty clear. It’s disappointing.’
Aussie 4x200m relay swimmer Tommy Neill said: ‘Oh mate, it’s always frustrating hearing about it but, you know, us four was here to do a job this morning in our relay and we’re not thinking about it, we’re just worrying about ourselves.’
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said Chinese athletes have been tested 600 times since January and urged critics to allow WADA ‘to be able to do their job’.
According to the New York Times, the two positive tests traced amounts of metendienone, a steroid, in 2022.
China were unable to prove where the drug came from but WADA and World Aquatics accepted the explanation that it was likely due to contamination from a lunch comprising of hamburgers, fries and a soft drink consumed at a restaurant close to their training base in Beijing.
