Debate: China’s Ye Shiwen swimming superwoman? Or aided with human growth hormone? - The debate rages over doping after Ye Shiwen broke records earlier this week. She and Chinese officials have strongly denied the claims ...

Her swim has been described as insanely fast and she swam faster than US champion Ryan Lochte in parts of the women 400m individual medley.

But what is truth surrounding supergirl Ye Shiwen’s extraordinary speed? She claims it’s just down to hard work and not the result of performance-enhancing drugs.

“My achievements derive from diligence and hard work, I will never use drugs. Chinese athletes are clean,” Ye told reporters late Monday. “The Chinese team is extremely strict on doping control, so I can assure you that is not an issue with us.”

But John Leonard, the longtime head of the World Swimming Coaches Association, created a firestorm when he told London’s Guardian newspaper Monday that Ye’s performance was disturbing and defied belief. Her speed and China’s history of involvement in doping, he said, “call that swim into question.”

Here the IOC reacts to the growing controversy surrounding the 16-year-old… and it should be noted that so far tests have come back clean for Shiwen.

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And here is more on the recent history of Chinese athletes…

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