"Clean play is supposed to be at forefront"-Katie Ledecky expresses discontent on Chinese Doping scandal that kept her away from 8th Olympic gold

Katie Ledecky recently spoke about the Chinese Doping scandal that occurred before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Ledecky secured two gold medals in the individual events and two silver medals in the team events in Tokyo.

She also won a silver medal along with Allison Schmitt, Paige Madden, and Katie McLaughlin in the women's 800m relay after clocking a time of 7:40.73, finishing behind the Chinese squad, who registered 7:40.33, to set a new world record. Three years after the Tokyo Olympics, The New York Times and the German broadcaster ARD uncovered the Chinese Doping controversy.

23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for restricted substances before the Tokyo Games. However, the WADA allowed the swimmers to compete, after acknowledging China's explanation that the athletes consumed the banned drugs unknowingly. The swimmers tested positive for consuming the banned heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ).

Among the 23 athletes, Zhang Yufei, and Yang Junxuan competed against the American squad involving Ledecky in the 800m freestyle relay. They dominated the U.S. swimmers with 0.40 seconds to secure the lead, thus robbing the them of a world record and Ledecky of her eighth Olympic gold medal.

During a recent interview with The Washington Post, Katie Ledecky expressed her dissatisfaction with the incident, while empathizing with other athletes who faced similar circumstances.

“Clean play is supposed to be at forefront of the Olympics, and I think it’s really disappointing we’re in this situation three years after this all happened,” Ledecky said. “… It’s tough to accept as an athlete, and now also to feel what it’s like to be an athlete who won a [silver] medal behind some athletes who tested positive — I now know what that feels like. I’ve seen it before with other athletes and always felt for those athletes.”

Katie Ledecky is all set to make her fourth Olympic appearance by competing at the 2024 U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials

Katie Ledecky will compete in four events at the 2024 U.S. Swimming Olympic Trials.

Katie Ledecky is all set to compete at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, scheduled from June 15 to 23, at the Lucas Oil Stadium, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The beloved American swimmer will be seen competing in four events, including the 200m, 400m, 800m, and 1500m freestyle, pursuing a quota for Paris.

Ledecky has so far secured ten Olympic medals, including 7 gold and 3 silver. At the age of 15, she unexpectedly secured her first gold medal in the 800m at the London Olympics and since then, has successfully defended her title.

Katie Ledecky enjoyed a remarkable run during the 2016 Olympics, securing multiple gold medals in 200m, 400m, and 800m freestyle events, 4x200m freestyle relay. The 27-year-old swimmer stands as the most decorated World Championships female swimmer, with 26 medals, including 21 gold and 5 silver medals.