Olympics

Chinese swimmer tests positive for banned substance

Chinese Olympic women's swimmer Chen Xinyi tested positive for a banned substance at the Rio Olympics on Aug. 7, China's official Xinhua news agency said on Friday citing the Chinese swimming association.

Chen Xinyi finished 4th in women's 100-metre butterfly

China's Chen Xinyi has tested positive for a banned substance. (Stefan Wermuth/Reuters)

The Chinese Swimming Association says Chen Xinyi has become the first swimmer to test positive for banned substances at the Rio Olympics.

The announcement was reported early Friday by Xinhua, the official state news agency.

The 18-year-old Chen finished fourth in the women's 100-meter butterfly Sunday, missing a bronze medal by nine-hundredths of a second.

She was also scheduled for compete in the 50 freestyle beginning Friday.

There was no immediate details on the positive test, which come on the heels of seven Russian swimmers being allowed to compete in Rio after initially being banned because a huge, state-sponsored doping operation in their homeland. That decision sparked vocal complaints from several swimmers, most notably American Lilly King.


By The Associated Press