China Cuts 40 From Olympics Roster

ByABC News
September 6, 2000, 9:27 AM

B E I J I N G, Sept. 6 -- China cut 40 athletes and officials from itsOlympic team for the Sydney Games today, including sevenrowers and six runners trained by famed coach Ma Junren who failedblood tests.

The coach — whose “Ma’s Army” of women runners stunned the track world in the 1990s and whose anticipated appearance at Sydneyboosted Beijing’s medal chances — was among those cut from theroster, said Tian Xiaojun of the Chinese track and fieldassociation.

Six of the seven athletes Ma expected to take to Sydney,including former 5,000-meter world record holder Dong Yanmei, werealso cut.

“It’s because of blood tests. They were above normal,” hesaid.

The seven rowers cut from the roster failed blood tests for thebanned performance-enhancing drug EPO, Olympic officials in Sydneysaid.

In all, 27 athletes and 13 coaches and other officials weredropped from the roster.

Not all of the athletes had “suspicious blood tests,” said TuMingde, secretary general of the Chinese Olympic Committee. “Someof them are injured, some of them are sick,” he said, refusing toprovide a breakdown.

Benefits and Drawbacks to Cuts

China’s decision to cut its team seemed certain to dent itschances of reaching its goal of 16 gold medals at the Sept. 15-Oct.1 games in Sydney.

But Chinese sports officials may have improved Beijing’s bid tohold the 2008 Olympics and avoid a repeat of the doping scandals atthe 1994 Asian Games and at the 1998 swimming world championships.

“I’m very pleased,” International Olympic Committee presidentJuan Antonio Samaranch said of the doping withdrawals. “I’m veryhappy. This is very good news. It shows the new system fordetecting doping substances will work very well. … The objectiveis to have clean games.”

Chinese sports administrators, after notifying Olympic officialsof the cuts, revised the 311-strong roster of athletes it initiallyplanned to send to the games. They released a partial list, via theofficial Xinhua News Agency, of 73 athletes and 33 coaches andofficials who will go to Sydney.