There’ll Be No Surprise Olympic Swimmers

The element of surprise is about to be eliminated from Olympic swimming. The international federation that governs the sport is requiring national swimming organizations to submit the names of all potential Olympians by the end of the year.

This rule, contained in a memorandum obtained by The Washington Post, will allow world-wide authorities to pinpoint both well-known and up-and-coming athletes and subject them to unannounced drug tests before the Atlanta Games next summer. If a nation tries to send a swimmer to the Olympics who is not on the list, that athlete will not be allowed to compete, an official said. Nations can send in as many names as necessary; the United States likely will enter at least 1,000 names.

Although it doesn’t say so, the rule is aimed directly at the Chinese, who have become noteworthy for fielding teams of previously unknown swimmers at major international meets. Those swimmers have gone on to dominate those events - the Olympics or world championships in particular - and some of those swimmers later tested positive for anabolic steroids.

Since July 1990, 19 Chinese swimmers have tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. Eleven have been women. In 1994, seven Chinese women’s swimmers failed drug tests. During that same time, one U.S. swimmer - Jessica Foschi - and no Australians have tested positive.

Swimming leaders in those two nations, among others, have called for the designation of potential Olympians as a way to test those athletes for drugs.