China's sports chief urges U.S. to stop 'long-arm jurisdiction'

On Tuesday, China's sports chief urged the U.S. to stop "long-arm jurisdiction" and ensure that athletes from all countries, including China, can participate smoothly and safely in the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Gao Zhidan, director of China's General Administration of Sport (GAS), met with Gene Sykes, chairman of The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) at the China House for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France on Tuesday, China Sports Daily reported.

Gao congratulated the American athletes on their outstanding achievements at the Paris Olympics and expressed appreciation for the efforts of the USOPC in promoting sports exchanges between China and the U.S.

According to Gao, as the two major global powers of the Olympic Games, both China and the U.S. have a responsibility and an obligation to jointly uphold the principles of the Olympic Charter, defend the world anti-doping system and the legitimate rights and interests of clean athletes, and promote the healthy development of the international Olympic movement.

China supports the U.S. to hold the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games and the 2034 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. China also hopes that the U.S. will fulfill its commitments and stop its "long-arm jurisdiction," ensuring that athletes from all countries, including China, can participate smoothly and safely in the Games, Gao said.

During the meeting, Sykes congratulated the Chinese athletes on their outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics and highly affirmed the important role of sports in promoting cultural exchange and mutual understanding between China and the U.S..

Sykes expressed his support for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in establishing a robust governance system and promised to actively promote solving relevant issues in a bid to create a favorable environment for athletes from across the world, including Chinese athletes, to train and compete in the U.S.

The Global Times reported on Monday that the U.S. sprinting star Erriyon Knighton, an under-20 world record holder in the men's 200 meters, tested positive for the banned steroid trenbolone during an out-of-competition test in March 2024 but was cleared by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) said the case shows that the rhetoric of the USADA about fairness and clean sport runs counter to its actual practices.

CHINADA on Tuesday reiterated its stance against the double standards of the USADA in a statement, saying that USADA is trying its best to clear American athletes after a series of domestic cases while accusing CHINADA and the WADA of "covering up the truth" about Chinese athletes.