CGTN Poll: Global respondents raise serious concerns about alleged cover-ups by USADA

The doping scandal surrounding American track star Erriyon Knighton is rapidly evolving into a crisis of credibility for the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

According to an online poll released by CGTN, 95.57 percent of the global respondents believe that USADA might be covering up U.S. athletes involved in doping.

In March this year, Erriyon Knighton tested positive for a banned substance through the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), but USADA avoided his suspension by attributing it to meat contamination.

The WADA issued a statement saying that by allowing athletes who have tested positive for doping to compete, USADA has violated the rules designed to protect the integrity of competition. The WADA has never approved USADA's practice of allowing doped athletes to compete over the years.

In the survey, 90.15 percent of the global respondents believe that the United States' cover-up of Knighton's positive test and participation in the Paris Olympics has seriously undermined the fairness and reasonableness of competitions.

Still, 96.54 percent criticize it as a classic example of American double standards and 95.63 percent seriously suspect that American athletes are involved in widespread false reporting.

It is worth noting that a significant 96.23 percent of respondents think the frequency of doping tests for American athletes should be increased during the Paris Olympics in order to restore international confidence in fair play.

The phenomenon of "medical exemptions" and "legalized consumption of banned substances" has become more and more prevalent in the U.S. As a result, international public opinion has become increasingly distrustful of USADA.

In the survey, 91.61 percent strongly suspect there is systematic doping abuse in American sports; 95.63 percent urge the WADA to increase its oversight of relevant U.S. authorities; and 95.83 percent believe the behavior of USADA seriously undermines the fairness and integrity of the Olympic spirit.

As WADA President Witold Banka has noted, law enforcement agencies worldwide have criticized the U.S. as a major market for the sale and distribution of performance-enhancing drugs.

Given the deep-rooted issues in American sports, 93.85 percent of the respondents are concerned whether doping controls at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics will be fair and transparent.

This survey was published on CGTN platforms in English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian, with 14,580 netizens participating and sharing their views within 16 hours.

CGTN Poll: Global respondents raise serious concerns about alleged cover-ups by USADA

CGTN Poll: Global respondents raise serious concerns about alleged cover-ups by USADA

The leading stars of '100 Yards,' a martial arts action movie, spoke in Beijing on Friday at the film's premiere about their challenging yet rewarding experience of learning martial arts.

The story, set in north China's Tianjin City in the 1920s, concerns the fierce fights between the son of a martial club's leader and his leading student.

Xiang Zuo and Tang Shiyi, the leading actor and actress of the film, shared their experience of learning martial arts from Liang Shaohong, their Kung Fu teacher in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, in southern China.

Xiang, a long-time action movie star, said that learning Wing Chun, a concept-based traditional southern Chinese Kung Fu style, and Bazhandao, a series of techniques using a pair of short swords, still posed a challenge for him.

"Wing Chun and Bazhandao use strength in the opposite direction compared with the martial arts I learned before. I had to relearn how to use my strength. So, my martial arts teacher Liang spent a lot of time teaching me, about three to six hours per day," said Xiang.

Tang, a professional dancer with no prior experience in martial arts, said that learning Kung Fu alongside fellow actors and actresses helped forge strong, genuine bonds within the film's production team.

"Because of the movie, director Xu Haofeng invited me to come to Zhuhai, and I am very honored to have learned Wing Chun from martial arts teacher Liang Shaohong. We learned a particular style of Wing Chun, and we learned it step by step from the teacher and the senior martial artists. We were just like a huge family and the atmosphere there was relaxed," said Tang.

"100 Yards" stars share their experience of learning martial arts