Chinese Swimming Assn. Calls the Ban on Its Athletes Unfair

The Chinese Swimming Assn. denounced this week’s decision to ban its swimmers from the Pan-Pacific Championships as unreasonable and unfair.

Guo Qinglung, secretary general of the CSA, said it was wrong to ban all Chinese swimmers because most are drug free.

“It is against the Olympic spirit of fair play,” Guo told China’s news agency.

The four charter members of the Pan-Pacific Swimming Assn.--Australia, Canada, Japan and the United States--voted, 3-1, to exclude China from its meet this summer in Atlanta. The group cited recent positive drug tests of Chinese athletes, including seven swimmers at the Asian Games last October. Japan cast the dissenting vote.

Guo said the decision could harm the relations between China and other swimming associations but denied reports that Chinese swimmers will boycott future international events.