As many as 30 athletes, representing almost a tenth of the Chinese Olympic team, are believed to have been pulled out of the Sydney Games. It is understood that positive tests for the banned performance enhancing drug EPO is the reason for the dramatic withdrawal, just nine days before the games begin.
The combined testing of urine and blood for EPO was recently sanctioned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and it is thought several athletes may have failed monitoring tests in China. Beijing is favourite to host the 2008 games after Athens in 2004, and China's sports administration has engaged in a tough anti-doping campaign this year. Now there are fears that failures by its athletes to pass doping tests could jeopardise the bid.
It is thought rowing, long- and middle-distance running, weightlifting, canoeing and possibly swimming may be the main events involved.
According to the website of FISA, the International Rowing Federation, the result of team blood tests is behind the decision to withdraw seven rowers.
The Chinese Rowing Association (CRA) said the results are above the "IOC blood index" levels but not necessarily officially positive.
CRA secretary general Mr Liu Jianyong said the Chinese Olympic Committee had withdrawn the rowers to "protect their health and uphold the fairness of the Olympic Games". As a result, the Chinese rowing team has been reduced from 17 to 10.
Although details of the sudden withdrawals are still unclear, a Chinese official said there would also be last-minute changes to the athletics team after mercurial coach Ma Junren abruptly abandoned his training camp on the Tibetan plateau where he was preparing his "Ma Family Army" of women runners.
That may be good news for Sonia O'Sullivan of Ireland, as one of Ma's athletes, Dong Yanmei, dominated the field in a 5000 metre race in St Denis, Paris, earlier this summer. Yanmei finished second, with O'Sullivan fourth place.
Ma, whose runners were bidding for golds in the 5,000 and 10,000 metres events, has given no explanation for his change of plans. The Beijing Youth Daily reported that drug inspectors had visited the camp four times.
Local sports reporters covering the training camp said they had been trying, without success, to get official comment on the outcome of the tests.
