On December 10, the China Anti-Doping Agency announced an extremely rare, high-profile sanction decision:
—Former head coach of the Inner Mongolia Athletics TeamLiu Bao was given an additional ban 12 years, totaling 15 years;
— Research expert at Jilin Sport University Yang Minghas beenbanned for life;
—A representative of a sports technology company in GuangzhouYe Xiang was also banned for life.
The weight of this list comes not only from the severity of the sanctions, but from their positions in China’s middle- and long-distance running, marathon, and race walking systems over the past two decades.
01｜Liu Bao: From coach of National Games champions to a 15-year ban
Liu Bao was the head coach of the Inner Mongolia middle- and long-distance running team and was a well-known figure within China's women's middle- and long-distance running system.
He led the Inner Mongolia team to the women's marathon team gold at the 2017 National Games; his athletes include Gong Lihua, Jin Mingming, and Shi Liying.
The announcement shows that between 2017—2021 he 'organized, lured, deceived, and instigated athletes to use performance-enhancing drugs'.
He had previously been suspended for 3 years; this time an additional 12 years has been added,meaning he will not be eligible to return until 2037.
This means:He is now highly unlikely to return to the front line of elite competition.
02｜Yang Ming: From celebrated Olympic research expert to a lifetime ban
If Liu Bao can be called a "trainer within the system," then Yang Ming's role is even more shocking — he was once a central figure in the national team's sports-science system.
Yang Ming, born in 1964, holds a PhD in Sports Science and is a professor and doctoral supervisor at Jilin Sport University, with over 20 years of research experience in competitive sports,has served as a research coach for the national short track team, national speed skating team, national skiing team, national women's weightlifting team, national men's and women's marathon teams, and the national women's triathlon team, and has represented both the Jilin provincial team and the national team at the National Games,the National Winter Games, the Asian Games, the Asian Winter Games, the Olympic Games, and the Winter Olympic Games.
According to the investigation, he between 2017—2021was involved in organizing, inducing, and instigating athletes to use doping; the nature and scope of his violations far exceed those of a typical coach.
Lifetime banmeans his professional career is completely over.
03｜Ye Xiang: Commercial company staff banned for life, exposing the gray supply chain
The third person who received a lifetime ban came from a sports technology company in Guangzhou.
His violation was also "administering stimulants to athletes."
That these "non-system personnel" are being investigated and given lifetime sanctions reflects:
Anti-doping agencies are tracing the entire grey-market profit chain
Commercial companies, training camps, and community organizations are no longer regarded as regulatory blind spots
Every highlight can become the next shadow. What stories lie behind these three suspensions?