The Olympic Games-Paris 2024 - Source: Getty — Pan Zhanle set a new world record in thee men's 100m freestyle at the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Image by Getty)

Who is Pan Zhanle? Everything you should know about Chinese Olympic swimming team doping controversy at Paris 2024

Modified Aug 04, 2024 17:46 GMT

Pan Zhanle is a Chinese freestyle swimmer currently representing the nation at the 2024 Paris Olympics. His recent feat includes winning a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games in the 100m freestyle event by registering a new world record.

The 19-year-old clocked an impressive time of 46.40 seconds to defeat Kyle Chalmers and David Popovici, who posted 47.48 and 47.49 seconds, respectively. By achieving this feat, Zhanle surpassed his previous world record set by clocking 46.80 seconds during the 2024 World Aquatics Championships in Doha, Qatar.

As Zhanle gains more attention at the 2024 Paris Games, the clouds of potential doping suspicion are looming over him, given the previous history of doping scandals involving Chinese swimmers.

Three years after the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD shed light on the Chinese Doping Scandal. Twenty-three Chinese swimmers tested positive for the consumption of a banned substance, trimetazidine (TMZ), during a training camp ahead of the Tokyo Games.

However, the WADA allowed the swimmers to compete in the Olympics after CHINADA presented the finding, which stated the swimmers consumed the substance due to contamination in the hotel kitchen. According to the New York Times, two Chinese swimmers, one of whom is competing at the 2024 Games, tested positive for a banned substance in 2022 but were cleared to compete.

"I don't feel there was any difference or influence" - Pan Zhanle opens up about doping tests after breaking world record at Paris Olympics

Pan Zhanle celebrates his victory after the Men's 100m Freestyle Final during the Olympic Games 2024 at Paris La Defense Arena in Paris, France. (Photo by Getty Images)

Following his recent victory, Pan Zhanle revealed that he had been tested more than 20 times before the 2024 Games.

In an interview with reporters via India Today, Zhanle expressed his amazement in setting the new record and assured that all the doping tests were fair and properly conducted.

"I tried my best to get the best result. I was very surprised in the end that I broke the world record and it was a magical moment," Zhanle said. "The testing was essentially done under all the regulations, so I don't feel there was any difference or influence," he added.

So far, Pan Zhanle has secured five world championship medals (2023 and 2024) and seven Asian Games medals, all at the 2022 edition held in Hangzhou, China.