Physical Tests Won’t Be Part of Chinese Olympic Qualification, Official Says

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Wang Jianjiahe; Photo Courtesy: FINA

September’s Chinese National Swimming Championships in Qingdao included an unexpected and controversial wrinkle, with non-swimming physical fitness tests added as part of qualification for finals. But a Chinese official has gone on record saying such tests won’t factor into qualification for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Li Jianming, the deputy director of the General Administration of Sport of China, told the media Saturday that the tests won’t affect who goes to the Olympics.

“This is not a fundamental change to the competition rules of the event, nor will it affect the selection of high-level athletes for the Olympic Games and international competitions,” Li said, according to the South China Morning Post.

Swimmers with times worthy of finals in certain events were denied spots at the National Swimming Championships. Among the aggrieved were Wang Jianjiahe, who set an Asian record in the women’s 1,500 freestyle (15:45.59), and Yu Hexin, who set a national record in the men’s 50 free (21.79). The SCMP also cites Ye Shiwen and Fu Yuanhui as also excluded from finals, apparently by poor fitness-test results, as well as Xu Jiayu in the 200 backstroke.

Those tests, according to national news agency Xinhua, consisted of “vertical jumps, 30-metre sprints, pull-ups, trunk muscle strength training, and 3,000-metre runs” and stretched over two days.

Wang was one of the swimmers who publicly criticized the selection criteria.

“It’s not like we’re overlooking the importance of physical strength,” she told media at Nationals. “I think deciding the top eight based on physical tests is somewhat deficient.”

Li, a former water polo player, said the fitness tests were temporary, contradicting messaging from Zhou Jihong, the president of the Chinese Swimming Association.

“It is just a temporary measure to force athletes to pay attention to strengthening basic physical training,” Li said. “Of course, this measure needs to be more scientific.”

Li also casually mentioned the difference between fit for swimming and fit in a general sense as being occasionally different. Added in February, the fitness tests fall under the draconian heading of, “Notice on Further Strengthening Basic Physical Training to Replenish Physical Shortcomings.” Li said the federation is eliciting feedback on the tests, and swimmers aren’t the only elite athletes that have been subject to fitness tests outside their sports.

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HJ Oxie
3 years ago

Drug tests won’t be either!!!

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