China paper blames Western media over doping row
CHINA: China's most influential newspaper on Thursday hit back
against doping suspicions levelled at gold medal winning swimmer Ye
Shiwen, accusing Western media of “deeply ingrained prejudice”.
Ye Shiwen, 16, captured the women's 400m individual medley title in a
world record time, swimming faster than Men's champion Ryan Lochte in
the final stage of the race.
But her victory was marred by suspicions of doping after the head of
the World Swimming Coaches Association said the achievement was
“impossible”. The People's Daily Newspaper -- the mouthpiece of China's
ruling Communist Party -- dismissed suspicions about Ye's performance as
part of a campaign to discredit China's sporting progress.
“Deeply ingrained prejudices lead some Western media into blind
ignorance,” the paper said.
“Attempts to discredit Chinese athletes are a miscalculation which
will not affect the morale of Chinese athletes.
“China's sporting progress is the result of Chinese efforts, and
ungrounded statements won't damage China's image, or obstruct the
progress of Chinese sport,” the paper said.
Chinese web users have also blasted Western media for raising
suspicions over Ye, who won a second Olympic gold in the 200m medley on
Tuesday.
“Well done, Ye Shiwen,” posted one under the name
Lookingatearthfromafar, “the West's suspicion is inevitable. I agree
Westerners are always arrogant.” China's anti-doping chief Jiang Zhixue
said in London on Monday that the country's swimmers had undergone
nearly 100 drug tests since they arrived in Britain for the Olympics.
AFP |