Doping sprinter claims setup

• Source: Global Times
• [03:10 October 28 2009]
• Comments

By Qiu Wei

China's sports authorities refused Tuesday to believe a claim by sprinter Wang Jing that she was set up in a drug scandal, but they stressed that the reported lifetime ban from the tracks wouldn't be determined until an investigation is completed.

"Wang's competition results and qualifications were stripped, and the final penalty will be assessed after further investigation," Shen Chunde, deputy director of the Chinese Athletics Administration Center (CAAC), told the Global Times. The investigation may take a month.

Wang tested positive for the steroid epitestosterone and related metabolites following her 100-meter victory Thursday at the National Games in Shangdong province. Before the result was made public, Wang was banned from running in Sunday's 200-meter final.

Wang, 21, has denied that she knowingly took any banned substances.

"I wouldn't risk my career for just a National Games medal," Wang said. "The substances stay in your body for months. I'm not that stupid."

She said it must have been a setup by someone to take her down.

She said she went to the restroom at the interval of the preliminary and final match of the 100 meters. But she said she left her bag outside unattended.

"It was chaotic there; nobody could take care of my stuff. My coach criticized me for being careless later," she said. "I was closely watched after my outstanding performance earlier this year in Zhengzhou; I must have been set up."

Wang said that she accepted the test results but called for further investigation into the case.

The substance would have little performance-enhancing effect on Wang, as it would have been unable to immediately boost competition results, the Fujian delegation was quoted by the China News Agency as saying.

It is the third doping case at the ongoing National Games. A rower from Henan Province, Guo Linna, and a shooter from Inner Mongolia, Li Jie, have also tested positive for banned substances. They were both kicked out of the competitions.

The anti-doping agency received a written document from Wang, who decided not to give a second urine sample for testing, Zhao Jian, deputy director of the agency, said yesterday.

"It is hard to prove their innocence through the investigation, though, if they can't raise substantial evidence," Shen added.