- Sakamoto leads Japanese women's sweep at Skate Canada
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- Michelle Obama admits fear over vote result, slams Trump
- Sainz takes pole for Mexico City Grand Prix ahead of Verstappen
- Stellato-Dudek and Deschamps defend Skate Canada pairs title
- Lille score twice in stoppage-time to beat Lens after 'extraordinary' week
- Barca in 'flow' state after thrashing Madrid: Flick
- Curfew extended in French Caribbean territory amid power blackout
- Ruling party set to win Georgia election amid opposition protests
- Lille score twice deep in stoppage-time to beat Lens, Brest win
- NASA astronaut released from hospital after return from ISS
- Lewandowski double as Barca shred Madrid in La Liga Clasico
- Floods hit Saint-Tropez as rains lash south of France
- Japan votes with new PM on shaky ground
- Herve Renard completes surprise return as Saudi coach
- Di Lorenzo fires Napoli five points clear, Atalanta hit Verona for six
- Van Graan has 'utmost respect' for Du Toit as Bath go top of Premiership
- Report details fossil fuel threat to 'Amazon of the seas'
- Michelle Obama to boost Harris, as Trump rages against migrants
- Catholic Church assembly acknowledges 'obstacles' for women
- 'Too early' to say Leverkusen out of title race: Alonso
- World champion Malinin grabs men's lead at Skate Canada
- Farrell 'sorry' for second Top 14 yellow in Racing win
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- Piastri, Norris set Mexico practice pace as Verstappen struggles
- Lewis century gifts West Indies consolation victory in Sri Lanka
- Guardiola vows to learn from rock-bottom Southampton after tight win
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- Venezuelan prosecutor accuses Lula of faking injury as tensions with Brazil rise
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- Farrell opens Top 14 try account in Racing victory, ends game in sin-bin
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- Haaland fires Man City to top of Premier League, Villa held
- West Indies set 195 to win rain-hit Sri Lanka ODI
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- Shelton downs friend Fils to reach Basel final
- Di Lorenzo fires Napoli past Lecce and five points clear
- Hussain says Pakistan have found 'kryptonite to Bazball' with England series win
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- Santner heroics seal historic New Zealand Test series win in India
- Brignone wins ski World Cup opener as Shiffrin flops
- Thitikul surges into three-way lead at LPGA in Malaysia
- Israel hits Iran military sites in retaliatory strikes
- Santner heroics seal New Zealand's first Test series win in India
Australian swim coach rejects claims of systemic Chinese doping
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.
- Doping history -
Cotterell, who has had an on-and-off association with Chinese swimming for more than a decade, said he was speaking from first-hand experience.
"I see what they (the swimmers) go through, I see the measures, I can tell you the stories. I know the facts and I am comfortable," he said.
"The suggestion that it's systemic is so far from anything I have seen here the whole time.
"That suspicion was unfortunately earned from 30 years ago in the 1990s. They are so adamant on having clean sport."
Chinese swimming has a chequered doping history. Seven Chinese swimmers tested positive for steroids at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima.
In 1998, swimmer Yuan Yuan was banned after Australian customs officers discovered a large stash of human growth hormone in her bags at the world championships in Perth.
More recently, three-time Olympic champion Sun is just about to finish a second doping ban. His first, in 2014, was for taking TMZ.
China's anti-doping authority and swimming association have yet to publicly comment.
Cotterell said he was not authorised to speak on their behalf and was "on a hiding to nothing" by giving an interview.
But he said he wanted to fight for the integrity of himself and Chinese swimming.
"I can understand if they (other athletes) are (upset), that's their prerogative," he said.
"I sympathise on other fronts for other reasons. How it was handled, that's the point of conjecture. I know what they have to endure here.
"It's sad that their names (the swimmers) are caught up in unfortunate circumstances beyond their control."
O.Johnson--AMWN