On August 6, Beijing time, according to the Associated Press, Phelps spoke out in response to Pity's previous remarks questioning the Chinese swimming team, and said that "it breaks my heart to have the gold medal taken away by cheaters." Phelps also said: "If you test positive, then you should be banned for life. ”
The Associated Press reported that Phelps believes Chinese swimmers who test positive should not be allowed to compete in Tokyo or Paris. He was referring to the fact that a number of Chinese swimmers tested positive for trimetazidine in January 2021. After investigation, it was confirmed that the Chinese athlete ingested contaminated food while eating out, and the prohibited substance was not intentionally used. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has endorsed this conclusion and has not penalized the athletes involved. Chinese swimmers have been tested several times at the Olympics and have not tested any positives. Like Peaty in United Kingdom, Phelps did not believe in the Chinese swimming team.
Speaking after the 4x100m medley, United Kingdom's Pitty said: "I think one of my favorite quotes I've seen lately is that if you win unfairly, then winning doesn't make sense, and I think you know that in your heart. Even if you win and know you're cheating, you know you didn't win, right...... As a person of integrity, you should quit the sport, but we know that sport is not that simple. ”
Phelps also echoed Pity's remarks: "It's heartbreaking to see people working hard to prepare for the Olympics four years in a row and the gold medal being taken away by cheaters, it's not right, and I will always support that." Phelps added: "Go to the cheat game and keep the Olympics honest." ”
Phelps later added: "Throughout my career, people have called me a cheater all the time. But I had more blood and urine tests every week. Why? Because I can say that I am not cheating, I am innocent, and this is the result. I won 23 Olympic gold medals in a clean way. It can be done. I don't think I've ever competed in a fair or clean environment. I have some speculation about some of the athletes I play against and I think they [doped]. But that's not something I can control. ”
Phelps smeared the Chinese swimming team, but his remarks just proved the innocence of the Chinese swimming team. Phelps emphasized that the test proves innocence, and the Chinese swimming team is the most rigorous team to be tested in this Olympic Games, and hundreds of tests have not been positive, which is enough to prove that we are not cheating, we are innocent, and the gold medal is won by strength.