Tokyo 2020: Physical tests will not decide China’s Olympic athletes
- GAS official Li Jianming says that tests will not affect the selection of high-level athletes for the Olympic Games
- Controversial policy introduced in February caused social media outrage at National Swimming Championships earlier this month
The controversial unrelated physical tests that came to light at the Chinese National Swimming Championships in Qingdao earlier this month will not affect who goes to the Olympics, an official said on Saturday.
“This is not a fundamental change to the competition rules of the event, nor will it affect the selection of high-level athletes for the Olympic Games and international competitions,” Li Jianming, the deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China, told domestic media on Saturday morning.
Chinese social media users were critical of the tests having seen star swimmers set records in the pool in qualifiers at the recent nationals and then be denied an appearance in the finals based on their physical test results.
These included international stars such as Ye Shiwen, Wang Jianjiahe, Yu Hexin and Fu Yuanhui. Wang set an Asian record in Qingdao.
“The swimmers took part in vertical jumps, 30-metre sprints, pull-ups, trunk muscle strength training, and 3,000-metre runs in the two-day physical tests,” Xinhua reported.
Li said that elite level athletes lacking basic fitness is a “relatively common phenomenon and strengthening basic physical fitness has become a consensus within and outside the sports world”.