Chinese walker fails test

Walker Liu Yunfeng faces Olympic expulsion

China has been hit by a drugs scandal on the eve of the Olympics, with walker Liu Yunfeng reported to have failed a drugs test.

Liu, who had been China's brightest prospect in the men's 20-kilometre walk, tested positive on 13 July and has been suspended from the national team while investigations continue, according to the China Daily newspaper.

Liu's fate hinges on the result of tests on a second sample, the newspaper said. It did not name the drug found in Liu's first sample or say when the second result was expected.

The coach of the speed walking national team, Zhang Fuxin, would probably be forced to drop out of the Games if the test was confirmed, the newspaper said.

"Since the ultimate result has not come out yet, we cannot decide whether Zhang was responsible for his team member Liu Yunfeng's suspected drug taking," the newspaper quoted Yang Shande, a Chinese Athletics Association official, as saying.

Zhang denied any knowledge of Liu taking drugs.

"To be frank, I know nothing about Liu's incident," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Purge pledge

China has pledged to purge itself of all doping, which is thought to have damaged its chances of reaching a target of at least 17 gold medals in Sydney this month.

Sports officials caught 16 Chinese athletes taking drugs last year, including seven in track and field and five weightlifters. Some 10 Chinese swimmers and swimming coaches were suspended for doping offences in 1999.

In July, world champion swimmer Wu Yanyan tested positive for an anabolic steroid and was banned for four years.

Chinese swimmers were stripped of nine of their 23 gold medals at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima after seven of them failed drug tests.

To be frank, I know nothing about Liu's incident

  Zhang Fuxin

Four more Chinese swimmers returned positive dope tests at the 1998 Perth world championships while another and her coaches were caught trying to smuggle a hormone through Sydney airport.

Under toughened Chinese anti-doping regulations, coaches can be punished along with athletes who test positive.

A spokesman for the Chinese Athletics Association said that before Liu's second sample is tested, "we cannot decide whether Zhang was responsible for his team member Liu Yunfeng's suspected drug taking".

Zhang's exclusion from Sydney could dampen Chinese hopes of clinching at least 16 golds, since race walking is one of China's stronger events.

Aside from Liu, Zhang coaches China's gold medal hopefuls in the women's 20-kilometer walk include Liu Hongyu and Wang Yan.