American swimmers have been notified by USADA that the Chinese women’s 800 free relay from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games has been stripped of their gold medals due to a doping violation by at least one member of the relay.
That means the Chinese will be stripped of their gold medals and World Record swim of 7:40.33. While athletes were not told who tested positive, the members of the relay were Yang Junxuan, Tang Muhan, Zhang Yufei, and Li Bingjie in finals and Dong Jie and Zhang Yifan in prelims.
The United States relay finished 2nd in 7:40.73, which was also faster than Australia’s World Record of 7:41.50 going into that meet. Australia has since lowered the World Record to 7:37.50, but the American finals quartet should, in theory, be credited with a World Record retroactively.
That finals relay was Allison Schmitt, Paige Madden, Katie McLaughlin, and Katie Ledecky. Also swimming legs in the heats were Bella Sims and Brooke Forde.
Once confirmed, that will move Katie Ledecky‘s all-time Olympic medal count from 7 golds and 3 silvers to 8 golds and 2 silvers. She becomes one of just 15 people in history to win 8 or more gold medals.
That would also give the Americans a 12th gold medal from the meet, extending their lead over Australia.
The Australians, originally bronze in an Oceanic record of 7:41.29, would promote to silver, while the Canadians, originally 4th in a National Record of 7:43.77, would promote to bronze.
The only other Olympic gold medal to have ever been stripped in swimming was American Rick DeMont in the 400 free at the 1972 Olympic Games.
