Athletes from the Team China delegation arrive at the Capital International Airport in Beijing and are greeted by fans as they return home from the Paris Olympic Games on August 12, 2024. Photo: VCG

There are always appeals to separate sports from politics, but the just concluded Paris 2024 Olympic Games has shown a complex interplay between global sports events and geopolitics.

With China and the US, two countries locked in fierce competition in almost all arenas, tied in Olympic golds, the two countries' performances at the Paris Olympics mirrored their strength and how they compete: Washington weaponized the anti-doping rules to serve its purpose of dominating its opponents, while China, being respectful of the regulations, rebutted the US slander with strong results and medals. 

"The Chinese sports delegation achieved a record-breaking performance, winning 40 gold, 27 silver, and 24 bronze medals across 11 major events and 14 sub-events, totaling 91 medals. This marks the best result for China in an Olympic Games held overseas since it began participating in the Summer Olympics in 1984," Zhou Jinqiang, vice chief of the Chinese delegation, told a news conference in Paris on Sunday.

This brought China level with Team USA in the gold medal table with 40 golds.

Not only did Team China achieve outstanding performances in its traditionally strong disciplines such as diving and ping-pong, it also branched out and made breakthroughs in fields that were not its strong points.

Chinese swimmer Pan Zhanle broke his own world record on the way to winning the men's 100-meter freestyle, finishing in 46.40 seconds for China's first swimming gold medal in the Games.

Meanwhile, Chinese tennis ace Zheng Qinwen won the women's singles gold, the first time a Chinese or Asian woman had won a singles gold in the Olympics.

Furthermore, in emerging sports such as freestyle scooter, rock climbing, breakdancing, skateboarding, and surfing, young Chinese athletes pushed their limits and showcased the vibrant, energetic, confident spirit of China's new generation of athletes.

Those results proved that China is on the fast track to becoming a major power in sports, thanks to the country's thriving comprehensive national strength, Zhang Yiwu, a professor at Peking University, who is also a national political advisor, told the Global Times. "The development of sports is closely associated with a country's development level, economy and degree of civilization. For example, a starving person would have no chance of practicing freestyle scooter." 

Zhang said Team China's results at the Paris Olympics showcase China's advanced capabilities in terms of cultivating and training athletes, as well as the outstanding qualities of Chinese people such as diligence, hard work, and pursuit of excellence. It also embodies the highest standards of sports ethics such as perseverance, fair competition, and respect for rules.

Zhou from the Chinese delegation also noted that Chinese athletes, whether during competitions or when interacting with the media, displayed grace, natural friendliness and an evident love for their country and pride in being Chinese.

Chinese Badminton silver medallist He Bingjiao won millions of hearts with a fine display of sportsmanship when she stood on the podium.

With a silver medal around her neck, He held a small badge of the Spanish flag, paying tribute to her semi-final opponent Carolina Marin, who suffered an injury to her right knee, forcing her to retire and leave Paris empty-handed.

Stalemate between China, US

China and the US drawing level for golds obviously drew attention from US media. CNN published an article on Monday saying that "the race was dramatically close as the two sporting superpowers went head-to-head in yet another aspect of their geopolitical rivalry in a Games that was at times overshadowed by a doping controversy."

The Paris Olympics has become a new arena for competition between China and the US, reflecting the increasingly intense rivalry between the two countries on the international stage, Shen Yi, a professor at the School of International Relations and Public Affairs of Fudan University, told the Global Times.

He said sport nowadays is no longer just about technical and physical prowess, but has also become an important means of showcasing national soft power and maintaining an international image.

Using the "doping controversy" as an example, he said that after smearing Chinese athletes in recent months over the so-called doping problems, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) reviewed the Chinese athletes' case and found no evidence to dispute the conclusion that they had been contaminated. 

A bipartisan group of US lawmakers then threatened to cut US funding for WADA, accusing it of failing to properly investigate alleged doping by Chinese Olympic swimmers.

Last week, China hit back. The China Anti-Doping Agency called for intensified testing on US athletics and the rebuilding of global trust in fair play, after US Olympic sprinting star Erriyon Knighton tested positive for the banned steroid trenbolone during an out-of-competition test in March 2024, which also brought other doping scandals in US track and field into the public spotlight.

Shen said the performances of China and the US during the Olympics also mirrored the fundamental difference between the two countries in how they participate in global affairs: China tends to enhance its global status and capabilities by participating in international competition and adhering to the existing international rules system. However, when faced with a strong competitor, the US is willing to go so far as to bend the rules, smear opponents and manipulate international organizations to ensure victory. 

That is why the organizing committee for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics (LA 2028) had to make solemn promises at a press conference on Saturday that the US Olympic and Paralympic Committees are working diligently to ensure fairness for all participants at the Los Angeles Games.

The US practice of using hegemony and long-arm tactics to gain victory may be heightened in 2028, but China's strength and willingness to fight back will help ensure a more stable and fair Olympic Games, as well as an international order, said experts.