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Tokyo 2020: is China going to boost its Olympic medal tally with 4x100m bronze?

  • Chinese quartet could be in line for medal as Team GB, who finished with silver, sees runner provisionally banned
  • Relay team would make history as first from China to win an Olympic 4x100m relay medal

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China’s 4x100m relay team react after they find out that they finished fourth in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games final. They could be boosted to bronze. Photo: Xinhua
China could be in line for a late addition to its Tokyo 2020 medal haul after the Athletics Integrity Unit announced a provisional ban on British sprinter Chijindu Ujah over suspected doping.
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The body announced that there were adverse findings in the tests of 27-year-old Ujah, who ran the opening leg for Team GB’s 4x100-metre sprint quartet as it was narrowly beaten by Italy and claimed Olympic silver ahead of Canada last week.

China’s team of Su Bingtian, Asia’s fastest man; Tang Xingqiang; Wu Zhiqiang and Xie Zhenye beat Jamaica to claim fourth place behind Italy, Great Britain and Canada.

Depending on the outcome of testing on Ujah’s B-sample, Britain could be stripped of its silver medal in what would be the biggest doping scandal in British Olympic history if the suspension is upheld. Canada could then be in line to be promoted to silver, with China awarded the bronze medal.

Ujah would be given the opportunity to explain how the banned substances got into this system, but could also face a four-year ban.

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