COTTERELL DEFENDS CHINESE SWIMMING

Coach knows truth’ amid talk of systemic doping, says China is big on clean sport

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Australian swimming coach Denis Cotterell has rejected allegations of orchestrated doping in Chinese swimming, saying China is adamant about clean sport.

Cotterell is working with China's top swimmers in the lead-up to the Paris Olympics and previously coached 1,500m freestyle worldrecord holder Sun Yang, who is now suspended for a doping offence.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) confirmed reports on April 20 that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned drug before the Tokyo Olympics.

China's Foreign Ministry on April 22 hit back at the widespread reports, which first emerged in the New York Times and German broadcaster ARD, and cited a review of confidential documents and e-mails.

"The relevant reports are fake news and not factual," said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin.

Wada said it had accepted China's findings that the results were due to contamination and decided against appealing the matter, triggering criticism from top swimmers and the United States antidoping authority.

Cotterell told the Sydney Morning Herald he stood by his swimmers "100 per cent" and said any positive test results in Chinese swimming were not part of a staterun programme.