Discrimination Against Chinese Athletes Violates Olympic Spirit

Swimmer Ye Shiwen, a Chinese girl only 16 years of age, broke several world records in her Olympic debut this year in London, but some in the Western media have raised allegations of doping. The International Olympic Committee and the chairman of the British Olympic Association spoke out in defense of Ye, directly stating that there is no possibility of violators going undetected in this year’s testing system, and rebuked suspicions of doping as being “against the fascination of sport.”

The truth is that Ye Shiwen’s remarkable feats in swimming events do not only show the development of Chinese sports science and the grueling training of its athletes, but also reflects athletes from China’s post-‘90s generation stepping onto the world stage. In the past, the West also had its athletes shock the world at the Olympics, but we never saw the Western media kick up a fuss about doping. The current irrational speculation leveled at Ye Shiwen amounts to discrimination and slander toward Chinese athletes, and violates the Olympic spirit of peace, friendship, equality and culture. The international community should condemn these irresponsible statements.

In the past, there was a clear gap between Chinese and Western athletes in swimming and other events, but Ye Shiwen shocked the sporting world by successively winning gold in the women’s 400m and 200m individual medleys. What followed, however, were baseless accusations, speculation and suspicion from the Western media. Although the British Olympic Association’s chairman, Lord Colin Moynihan, explicitly stated that Ye Shiwen had passed the World Anti-Doping Agency’s drug tests, more than a few in the Western media continued to harp on the issue. In the world of international swimming, Ian Thorpe was extremely young and repeatedly broke world records, and his was hailed as a talent that comes along once every hundred years; Michael Phelps came out of nowhere to win eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, showing that the Olympics is a place where miracles happen. Why is it that back then the West didn’t question the youthfulness of its heroes, but now China’s top athlete of the post-‘90s generation has become the subject of much suspicion after demonstrating her talent? These kinds of biased and discriminatory remarks have absolutely no place at the Olympics.

Some in the Western media hold prejudice toward Chinese athletes and are unwilling to recognize China’s recent developmental leaps in national power and in sport. Athletic accomplishments are the embodiment of a country’s collective strength; in recent years Chinese athletes have had a score of triumphs in international athletic competitions. What this reflects is that China has continued to innovate in sports science, learn from the advanced experience of other countries and significantly raise the level of fitness of its athletes. It also shows the extraordinary determination of Chinese athletes and their tireless competitive spirit. The questioning of Chinese athletes by some Western media outlets is missing the forest for the trees. The fact is that whether it be Chinese athletes or China’s developmental achievements in recent years, it has all been earned, using undeniable accomplishments to gain recognition from the international community. However, some in the Western media have looked upon China’s development with the eyes of a conspiracy theorist, which will only result in constant misjudgments. Just as with these doping allegations, what suffers is the credibility and reputation of those portions of the Western media. Western society should draw a lesson from this and view China’s development as it would view anything else.

The Olympic Games are not only a major event in the international sporting world, but also use fair athletic competition to promote solidarity and friendship between different countries and peoples. Along with the competitive spirit of becoming stronger, faster and better, they enhance mutual understanding between the people of every nation and are an effort to bring about peace and harmony. Consequently, any discriminatory statement at the Olympics pollutes the Olympic spirit and must be met with stern criticism