Chinese drug controversy won't impact Irish hopefuls, insists swimming chief

Swim Ireland's Dr John Rudd. Pic: Brendan Moran, Sportsfile

Irish swimming chief John Rudd believes the controversy erupting over Chinese swimmers who were cleared to compete in the Tokyo Games despite positive tests for a banned drug will not impact Ireland’s competitors in the pool come the Paris Olympics.

However, Rudd, the national performance director for swimming and diving, has admitted that the bombshell story revealed earlier this month by the New York Times and German TV channel ARD has been a brutal blow for the sport so close to the Games.