Luo Xuejuan, Chinese breaststroke swimmer is in the hospital for suspicious heart ailments. [Read as steroid abuse].Timed Finals once again gives me something to talk about.
The Chinese have a spotted past when it comes to swim doping. Well, actually it is not spotted, it's more checkered. Well, maybe that's a bit to nuanced. It's not spotted nor checkered it is actually opaque and red-handed. Over 40 Chinese swimmers since 1990 have failed drug tests. That's triple the amount of any other swimming country during the same period of time. [link]
Now, Luo Xuejuan, is in a hospital with a heart ailment.
From Eurosport:
Luo ... omitted from the Chinese national team for the Doha Games due to ill health, but then fainted during training in November caused by what doctors at the time thought was lack of rest [or] low blood pressure.
Swim News stated she has passed out several times during training. That is not good for a girl as young as she. The Chinese government always distances itself from doping scandals usually blaming the athlete. However, and my opinion is biased, there is enough circumstantial evidence to point a finger at the Chinese swim program due to past questionable tactics. Such as, sending secondary swimmers to swim and be drug tested for international meets while elite swimmers stay home and train in a bubble till just before internationally covered meets such as the Olympics or World Championships. Note, the USA is not exactly saintly either but the Chinese have some "splaining to do" due to such immense positive tests in the past and the fact that their athletes are subsidized.
So, why is steroids being suggested? Because her illness is a fishy as a tuna! I did a Google search on anabolic steroid use in regards to heart health. What I found were article-after-article about how steroid use can: Weaken heart valves, as witnessed with Governor Arnold's heart valve replacement; cause stroke issues and heart attacks due to decreased HDL or good cholesterol; and mess with your blood pressure as well as weaken your bones. [link]
This is sad for both Luo and her family but hopefully it warns other swimmers from thinking you can buy performance with no consequences.
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