NOW ONLINE September Swimming World Magazine: Right or Wrong, Doping Questions about Ye Shiwen Need to Be Asked

In London, her 58.68 split for the final 100 meters was the fastest ever recorded by any woman in that event. Her last 50 was 28.93. No other world-class female athlete in that race split faster than 30.7 on the final lap–except her teammate, Li Xuanxu, who came home in 29.77 to capture the bronze medal.

John Leonard, the executive director for the American Swim Coaches Association, took note of the split and said, “The one thing I will say about our sport is that every time we see something 'unbelievable,' history eventually shows us that doping was involved.

“Many substances and methods that were later selected to be added to the banned list of substances and methods were initially used by athletes long before they were banned–steroids, amphetamines and EPO and HGH all among them. It is entirely possible that Chinese medical practitioners are onto something new that cannot at this time be considered 'doping.' ”

China has a long history of drug issues. More than 40 Chinese swimmers tested positive for steroids in the 1990s. It was all brought to light in 1998 when Australian customs in Sydney discovered human growth hormone (HGH) in the baggage of swimmer Yuan Yuan. Six days later at the World Championships in Perth, tests showed the presence of a banned diuretic masking agent called triamterene in the urine samples of four Chinese female swimmers.

In June of this year, China removed a 16-year-old swimmer from its team for having erythropoietin (EPO) in her system. EPO enhances both VO2 max (one's ability to intake oxygen) and helps the back half of a swimmer's race.

Despite allegations, Ye passed both the doping and gender tests as required by the International Olympic Committee. The IOC president believes there was no foul play. Without proof, then, Leonard's suspicions are unactionable.

Supporters of Ye maintain that it all can be explained. At 14, she won gold medals at the 2010 Asian Games in both IMs (2:09.37 and 4:33.79). She finished second in the two events at the 2010 Short Course World Championships. She also won the 200 IM (2:08.90) at the 2011 Long Course World Champs.

Nobody complained when a 15-year-old Tracy Caulkins improved her best time by nearly eight seconds in the 400 IM and walked away with a world record and World Championships gold medal. Nobody accused Mary T. Meagher in 1979, when she swam the 200 meter butterfly in a world record 2:08.41, swimming faster than nearly half the male competitors at the time.

Where was the outrage when Janet Evans smashed the 800 free world record in 1987 by two seconds and proceeded to lower it the next two years by another six seconds?