Australian swim coach rejects claims of systemic Chinese doping

SYDNEY - An Australian coach who works with the Chinese Swimming Association has rejected claims of systemic state-run doping, saying it is "so far from anything I have seen".

The sport was rocked at the weekend by revelations that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for prescription heart drug trimetazidine (TMZ) -- which can enhance performance -- ahead of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

But they were allowed to compete after world governing bodies accepted China's findings that they had ingested it unwittingly from food during a meet in late 2020 and the early days of 2021.

Several went on to win medals, including gold, and many are in line to compete at the Paris Olympics this summer.

Denis Cotterell, who steered Australian Grant Hackett to multiple Olympic gold medals and also coached drug-tainted Chinese swimmer Sun Yang, told The Sydney Morning Herald he disputed "any suggestion of anything orchestrated".

"Am I confident that it's not dastardly? Not for one minute (do I believe that). I wouldn't be here (if it was)," Cotterell told the newspaper by phone from the pool deck of the Chinese Olympics trials in Shenzhen, in comments published Monday. 

"I am happy to say I'm absolutely in support of my swimmers and dispute any suggestion of anything orchestrated," the 74-year-old said. 

World anti-doping agency WADA has said there was "a lack of any credible evidence" to challenge China's version of events.

However, the United States Anti-Doping Agency called news of the failed tests "crushing" and blasted WADA's lack of action as "a devastating stab in the back of clean athletes".

Staunch anti-doping campaigner Hackett also weighed in, hitting out at what he said was a lack of transparency.

"You can't come out and obviously tarnish everyone as a drug cheat immediately, but it's very suspect given the circumstances and the fact it wasn't disclosed and transparent," he told Australian media.

"The fact we are sitting here -- what, three years later -- and it's only coming out now through the wrong channels, not through official channels, just makes me feel very unsettled."

The failed tests were first reported by The New York Times and German broadcaster ARD on Saturday, citing a review of confidential documents and emails.