‘People would be angry, upset’: Hackett backs any Aussie protests after China drugs scandal

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Grant Hackett says he wouldn’t begrudge Australians wanting to protest at the upcoming Olympics in Paris in light of 23 Chinese swimmers being cleared to compete after positive drug tests.

Tensions could boil over at the Olympic swimming pool next week when Chinese athletes compete following news earlier this year that some had tested positive to small doses of trimetazidine (TMZ) before the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 but did not serve bans.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted China’s version of events that the swimmers were victims of food contamination in the kitchen of a team hotel during a camp.

Unlike Australia’s Shayna Jack, who spent two years out of the sport fighting to clear her name following a positive test, none of China’s athletes served provisional bans and are free to compete in Paris.

“If someone wants to protest about things that feel suspicious, you totally understand that,” Hackett, a Stan Sport swimming expert, told this masthead. “When you feel like something hasn’t been entirely fair or transparent, you appreciate people’s anger and feeling upset about that, particularly if it affects you directly in one of your events with a potential competitor in there.

“I appreciate why people would be angry, upset. It’s going to be a talking point. I don’t think anyone should hide from that.”

Qin Haiyang was one of the 23 Chinese swimmers to test positive.Credit: Mondadori Portfolio via Getty Images

A number of Australian swimmers will race against Chinese competitors who tested positive to TMZ but maintain they had no idea how it got into their system. There will be 11 of the 23 swimmers competing in the Paris pool.

Australia’s Zac Stubblety-Cook is up against Qin Haiyang in the 200m breaststroke, less than a year after the rising Chinese star took the Australian’s world record, while Yu Yiting and Zhang Yufei will be up against several of Australia’s female stars, including Kaylee McKeown, Emma McKeon and Jack.

“It’s something I’ve had to kind of go, well, this sucks, but what can I do about it?” Stubblety-Cook said at Australia’s Olympic trials last month when asked about the issue.

Olympian Grant Hackett says he would not be surprised if swimmers protested in Paris.Credit: Eamon Gallagher

Jack told this masthead last month: “For now, I’m just focusing on my dream and not letting anything crush that.”

Hackett’s former coach, Denis Cotterell, is responsible for China’s swimming program and took part in a wide-ranging and rare interview with this masthead in April.

Cotterell refuted any suggestions of systematic doping or the notion that he or swimmers knew anything about consuming a substance on WADA’s banned list.

Hackett has read the interview and said that while he doesn’t agree with everything Cotterell said, he can’t understand why there was a lack of transparency from WADA and China.

Denis Cotterell with Australian swimming great Grant Hackett in 2006.Credit: Paul Harris

“Denis, of course, is entitled to his perspective. He is closer to that team than, you know, most of us,” Hackett said. “Whilst I certainly respect everything that Denis has to say, I don’t always agree with his perspective on situations.

“My issue with this isn’t necessarily that someone did something right or someone did something wrong. I don’t have the evidence to be able to prove either way on that. The part that really upsets … was the lack of transparency and openness around it, and the fact that due process wasn’t followed, as it was like Shayna Jack. That’s all I want to see in the sport.

“Denis is a purist in the sport. He loves to see amazing performances. He’s seen how hard obviously a lot of the individuals train there, and obviously, he’s formed a view there, where I’ve formed a view. It’s not necessarily trying to contradict anything that Denis said, all I’m saying is, well, if there is nothing to see here, then why didn’t we go through a fair and transparent process?”

The first sign of athlete discontent could come in the men’s 100m breaststroke on night two (July 28) when Great Britain’s Adam Peaty, a two-time gold medallist in the event, comes up against Qin, the second-ranked swimmer in the event.

The Australian Olympic Committee has said it won’t stop athletes from voicing their opinion on the issue, but hopes protests do not take place on medal podiums or inside venues. Hackett hopes it doesn’t detract from the spectacle.

“I think it’ll definitely be in there,” Hackett said. “I feel for a Chinese swimmer who has done everything right, trained really hard, prepared really well, raised really well, gets up there and performs incredibly well, but gets questioned because there wasn’t a transparent process that took place a few years ago and that’s created suspicion. I feel sorry for every person who’s involved in this situation because no matter which side you come from, it doesn’t feel right and it doesn’t feel fair.

“Hopefully though, once the Olympics kick off we’re talking about the incredible performances and some of the things that we didn’t anticipate.”

Grant Hackett will appear as a swimming expert on Stan Sport’s Olympics Daily and Paris Preview shows throughout the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.