China has been barred from participating in this summer's Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Atlanta, but the decision keeps the door open for the Asian nation to participate in the 1996 Olympic Games.
The Pan Pacific Swimming Association voted 3-to-1 Sunday to become the first international organization to bar China from participating in a world championship competition because of alleged performance-enhancing drugs by it's athletes.But in doing so, the association said the decision gives the Chinese an opportunity to clean up its program through the auspices of the International Swimming Federation (FINA) so that it will be eligible to compete in the Atlanta Olympics.
The United States, which introduced the resolution, was joined by Canada and Australia not let China take part. Japan cast the dissenting vote.
"Our recommendation was based on a resolution passed by our Board of Directors two weeks ago that China not be invited," said Carol Zaleski, president of the U.S. Swimming Federation.
"We are encouraged by FINA's recommendations passed last week in Lausanne (Switzerland). We feel that there is strong circumstantial evidence that until we are assured that Chinese athletes are clean that our athletes not be exposed to competition with them."
"FINA is taking a positive, progressive approach to the problem rather than a punitive one. It's saying, what can we do to tighten the rules and make the sport a clean one?"
Last week, FINA, which had come under increased international pressure to take action against the use of drugs by athletes, most notably the Chinese swimmers, announced it would institute "bold new initiatives" against the use of performance-enhancing drugs through increased testing and stiffer penalties, and singled out China for an on-site investigation.
"FINA wants to let China know it is willing to assist them in cleaning up its problem," said Zaleski.
"We're tired of competing against Chinese who are cheating," said Harold Cliff, chief executive officer of Swimming Canada.
"This one step means this will be a clean competition, but, at the same time, give the Chinese Swimming Federation, through FINA, time to clean up its act.
"This (the Pan Pacific Association's decision) is a positive reaction to FINA's action."
Zaleski said the four charter members had received letters from the Chinese "saying essentially they had a problem, were dealing with it and that all their athletes should not be punished for the acts of a few."
But, she said, "that wasn't good enough for us."
"Based on number of positive drug tests that have taken place and that, along with previous circumstantial evidence, leads us to believe there is a problem," said Ray Essick, executive director of the U.S. Swimming Federation. "In essence, our vote today was to protect our athletes from unfair competition."
In casting the dissenting vote, Shinji Higashijima, chairman of the Japan Amateur Swimming Federation, called on FINA to take a stronger stance on the issue, but pleaded for a second chance for the Chinese.
"Japan's position on China's doping is clear: No more doping and no more cheating," he said. "We must ask FINA to stand much more strongly against doping. But, on the other hand, we understand China's reflection and regret.
"We object that the Pan Pacific Swimming Association does not invite China to the Pan Pacific Championships in Atlanta. We, Japan, would like to give only one more chance to China, but no more. This is why we voted not to bar China."
As part of its new focus, FINA said it will send a top-level delegation to China next month to "investigate the involvement of coaches, doctors and team leaders" in the doping scandals.
In addition, FINA will "increase substantially" the number of surprise, out-of-competition tests and plans an anti-doping congress in November to consider increasing the current two-year ban for first-time steroid offenders to a "minimum" two-year suspension.
"This opens the door for suspensions of anything from two years to eight years," said FINA secretary Gunnar Werner.
Under FINA rules, a swimmer faces a life ban for a second offense.
The congress will also consider applying retroactive sanctions, which means that records or medals won prior to the sanctions could be taken away.
Allegations of the use of performance-enhancing drugs by Chinese swimmers popped up in recent years when that country's program rose from virtual obsecurity to a series of stunning world record performances.