A CHINESE Olympic swimmer is among the first reported cases of doping at the Rio games, according to a local report.
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It is believed that the 18-year-old has taken the case to CAS in an attempt to avoid suspension after the Chinese swimming association was informed of the matter on Wednesday (AEST).
Chen was 16 when she catapulted up the world rankings to a 56.61 victory for China over 100m butterfly at the Asian Games.
Estadao Sports reports that Chen failed a blood test before heading to Rio de Janeiro for the Olympics.
Chen finished fourth earlier in the week in the 100m freestyle.
Chinese swimmers have already been in the spotlight in Rio since Australia’s 400m freestyle champion Mack Horton called rival and silver medallist Sun Yang a “drug cheat” prior to their race.
Sun, China’s most successful swimmer, served a three-month doping ban in 2014, which was only announced retrospectively by Chinese authorities.
Today’s possible doping revelations follows yesterday’s news that some swimmers might break away from the sport’s governing body to form a “Super League” of swimmers in a bid to clean up the sport.
FINA spokespeople have so far declined to comment on the situation.
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World Swimming Coaches Association boss John Leonard – a vocal critic of FINA and the IOC handling of its doping issues – says he already has interest from top United States and Australian swimmers and is understood to have already sounded out 21-time Olympic champion Michael Phelps’ camp.
