Young Chinese swimmer

All medal winners are tested for drugs so the results of the testing will go some way towards answering your question.

They are tested while they are in the Olympics. The national governing bodies are responsible for testing them when they are in training. It is a very big margin to break the world record by in swimming. It usually goes on a fingertip. And world records are not broken often. I know that now and again in athletics you get an exceptional performer who breaks a record and it stands for a long long time before someone else breaks it.

According to the Radio 4 news the Chinese tested their swimmer, Surely they have got it wrong [R4] I would have thought a neutral body would do this. Maybe she is just really fast!

You could not possibly have independent international dope testing during all the years of training! Think what it would cost. It relies on the individual, national sporting bodies to regulate themselves to protect their reputations. (I am about 98% sure I am right about this ... anyone??)
Individual competitions can only test participants while they are at the events.
I am very impressed at the extent to which cycling has cleaned up its act. It was a doping mess not so long ago.

The Chinese have stated this morning that they had tested their competitors for substances banned on the list which the Committee had published and that none of their squad who competed had tested positive,this is a big differance in the last personal best for this girl, how do we know any substance which has not been banned (ie Chinese herbal remedies)are not the reason

Would herbal remedies be classed as illegal? I don't know, but I think this girl should be given the benefit of the doubt unless and until there is proof that something is untoward.

Anagram not sure at all just a guess on my behalf as they would not be so daft as to take anything that was banned would they,maybe they have just come across someone who has the ability to break records and is very able at her sport after all the years of training,was it only the USA who first made the comment about the time and the record that this young girl broke ?

It has just been announced on the news that she has been tested after all the ngeative speculation and she is clear.

I think what bothers some folks is that she is from China. I think its fair to say we view it as a country with far less personal freedom than many. Its not so long ago we saw the events of Tienamen(?) square. Its a little similar to the perceptions we had of the huge Eastern Block teams who did turn out to be forcing their athletes to use allsorts of dubious methods. I do hope all is above board and that she can celebrate her win.

I believe that suspicion about Chinese athletes is engendered by the fact (?) that after the Wall came down, East German coaches were taken on in China.

Unlikely to be Chinese Medicine. It is not known for having provable effects. Herbal medicines generally are so unstandardised in terms of content and potency that how would you know...? Could be something much more scientific that is not as yet tested for.
It is the combination of power and her young age that is unusual. I don't think it is the Chinese thing. i think the speculation would follow her whatever nationality with that performance.
Marion Jones the american runner was an example of someone who performed exceptionally and surprisingly well and eventually turned out to be doping.

It was announced a short while ago that her drug test proved that she was absolutely drug free.

I heard on Radio4 'More or Less' the statistics programme that the Tour de France has become slower, lap for lap. This is considered proof that they have clamped down on drugs. Also proof that those cycling in the 90s were on drugs.
I think they will find out that the young swimmer was taking something if only her own blood. It must be disheartening for other athletes.

Can they test for EPO?

Jenny is EPO Erythropoietin?

If it is, the Authorities seem to be on top of that one.

Yup!

At national level, DDiL had to register where she was at all times while she was competing, so that drugs testers could descend. I remember hearing her when she had a cough, and knowing that she would not take a single remedy.

Yes well you would expect the Tour to be a bit slower. But you didn't need that to know that drugs were rife in cycling and it is now a much much cleaner sport.
Tell us more jeni - something that encourages the production of red blood cells?

Here is a good one:

www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-17554106

Did anyone see the Chinese Dr. who commented that if China had found a way to train their female swimmers to swim faster than the men - apparently Ye swam the last 50 mtrs. faster than some of the chaps - then they - the Chinese - should be awarded the Nobel Prize.

Yes, it's human recombient erythropoietin . An artificially produced erythropoietin
That is used to stimulate red blood cell production. Used in renal failure where normal erythropoietin is suppressed and therefore sufferers become very anaemic!

It's all this stuff that makes me ignore the Olympics - and the sponsorship nonsenses etc. I'd rather watch a school sports day - although, come to think about it, I'm not wild about those really! - too many memories of always being last!