Mass Withdrawals

Zhang Guan lay in bed, holding his phone, pouring out his longing to Sharapova. Due to continuous training and competitions, it had been several months since Zhang Guan and Sharapova last met. The two could only keep in touch through their phones.

"800 meters and 1500 meters should be considered middle-distance running, right? You can win in that too?" Sharapova asked.

"You know, our country's level in middle-distance running is not strong, and we're far from world-class!" Zhang Guan continued, "I haven't congratulated you yet on winning the Arakura Elite Tournament."

"It's the Akura Elite Tournament," Sharapova corrected. "What competitions do you have next?"

"The Golden League Zurich meet is coming up. I have to go to Switzerland, and then there are the Golden League meets in Brussels and Berlin. My competitions won't be over until September 3," Zhang Guan replied and then asked, "What about you?"

"I'll stay in the U.S. to prepare for the U.S. Open," Sharapova thought for a moment and then asked, "Do you have time after the Golden League Berlin meet? Can you come to the U.S.?"

"I'll have about two weeks after the Berlin meet before the Athletics World Cup. I should have some free time. How about I come to the U.S. to see you?" Zhang Guan asked.

"Really! That would be wonderful!" Sharapova sounded very excited. "It's settled then. I'll wait for you in New York!"

"I'll definitely be there! I want to witness my dear Masha winning the U.S. Open in person!" Zhang Guan said with a smile.

...

"Track and Field Scandal: Female Sprinter Jones Tests Positive in A-Sample":

According to the Washington Post, American sprinter Marion Jones failed a drug test at the U.S. National Athletics Championships in Indianapolis, with her A-sample testing positive…

"Jones Announces Withdrawal from IAAF Golden League Zurich Meet":

Marion Jones, the American sprinter who recently made a comeback, has announced her withdrawal from the IAAF Golden League Zurich meet due to "personal reasons." It is reported that Jones failed a drug test at the recent U.S. National Athletics Championships. Whether Jones used banned substances is yet to be confirmed, as the B-sample has not been tested yet. Jones has stated she will do her utmost to prove her innocence.

"Richards Announces Withdrawal from IAAF Golden League Zurich Meet":

Reports indicate that American athlete Sanya Richards announced her withdrawal from the IAAF Golden League Zurich meet today due to a recurrence of an old ankle injury. Richards had won three consecutive Golden League meets previously and was a strong contender for the ultimate gold prize. However, some media suggest that the real reason for Richards' withdrawal is the IAAF's plan to introduce "biological passports" for athletes at the Zurich meet…

"Ethiopian Long-Distance Star: Biological Passport Unfair to Ethiopian Athletes":

Kenenisa Bekele, the Athens Olympic 10,000-meter gold medalist, recently told the media that the IAAF's introduction of the "biological passport" for long-term blood monitoring is unfair to Ethiopian athletes. High-altitude training affects blood characteristics, which could lead to false suspicions of doping. Ethiopia, known as the "Roof of Africa," is predominantly mountainous, and athletes often train at high altitudes. The new "biological passport" is therefore detrimental to Ethiopian athletes…

"Long-Distance Runner Dibaba Withdraws from IAAF Zurich Meet Due to Calf Injury":

Long-distance running star Dibaba announced that she is withdrawing from the IAAF Golden League Zurich meet due to a calf muscle strain. She is expected to rest for two weeks but stated that she will not miss the upcoming Golden League meet in Brussels.

...

As news spread that the Golden League Zurich meet would be introducing biological passports for athletes, over a dozen athletes announced their withdrawal from the meet for various reasons over the next week. Even top athletes like Bekele voiced their disapproval of the biological passport system.

Following last year's major doping scandal in the U.S., it has become an open secret that athletes are using frequent blood transfusions and microdoses of EPO to increase red blood cell counts and evade urine tests. This method is temporary, and athletes' bodies would naturally return to normal levels after some time. Thus, those withdrawing from the meet could wait and compete again at the next Golden League meet in Brussels when their bodies had normalized.

Some media outlets also published sensational reports.

"Golden League Zurich Meet: Multiple Top Athletes Withdraw; Will Zhang Guan Be Next?":

A British media outlet reported on the upcoming biological passport system in the Golden League and the series of withdrawals from the Zurich meet by well-known athletes. It subtly hinted that the withdrawals were related to the biological passport's long-term blood monitoring and speculated about which athletes might withdraw next, prominently suggesting that Zhang Guan might be the next to announce his withdrawal.

This report drew significant attention, reflecting the fact that Zhang Guan, the world's most popular track and field athlete, attracts a lot of attention, even in sensationalist headlines. Zhang Guan had faced criticism before; since his Olympic victory, there have been ongoing "Zhang Guan black" rumors. Initially, critics claimed that Zhang Guan was a flash in the pan and predicted his defeat in competitions. However, as Zhang Guan continued to win every race and set multiple world records, those predictions became laughable. Consequently, the critics shifted their focus to doping allegations as their main means of attacking Zhang Guan.

The next day, the Athletics Management Center announced that Zhang Guan and Liu would participate in the IAAF Golden League Zurich meet.

...

Jamaica.

A young Usain Bolt was thrilled because he had just won a 200-meter trial race, qualifying him for the Athletics World Cup next month. He was even more excited about the chance to compete against Zhang Guan.

Another young Jamaican athlete, Yohan Blake, rushed over with a newspaper and said, "Usain, Zhang Guan has already arrived in Zurich. He didn't withdraw from the meet after all!"

"I've been saying all along, Zhang Guan would never withdraw!" Bolt shrugged. "It's just a temporary blood test. Why would Zhang Guan be afraid of that?"

"It's not just a temporary blood test; it's a biological passport!" Blake corrected. "The biological passport involves continuous monitoring of an athlete's blood characteristics, and every blood test result will be recorded in the passport. If an athlete uses banned substances, it will be easy to detect."

"A true champion wouldn't stoop to such shady practices. Look at our own Asafa; he's still competing in the Golden League! And Wariner from the U.S. is reportedly ready to challenge Zhang Guan again," Bolt waved dismissively.

Blake added, "I really admire Wariner. He has lost to Zhang Guan in three consecutive races, but he still remains so determined!"

"That's because the gap between Wariner and Zhang Guan is not very big. They were only 0.05 seconds apart in the last race, which is a margin that can easily be bridged in a 400-meter race," Bolt said. "In three races, their times have improved from over 44 seconds to almost 43.5 seconds. There are three more Golden League meets left. Who knows, one of them might break the 400-meter world record!"

"Breaking the 400-meter world record? That's impossible!" Blake shook his head, thinking the 400-meter world record was an almost inhuman achievement.

...

The withdrawal of multiple star athletes made the Golden League Zurich meet less exciting than the previous three meets. The long break of almost a month between the Rome and Zurich meets also meant that some athletes, including Wariner, struggled to regain their competitive form.

In the men's 400 meters, Wariner's time was 44.20 seconds, which was still good but slightly below his previous performances.

Zhang Guan also held back a bit, easing his pace at the end and finishing with a time of 43.80 seconds.

In the 100-meter race, both Montgomery and Crawford withdrew from the Zurich meet under the pretext of participating in domestic competitions in the U.S., but Powell performed well, clocking an impressive 9.77 seconds. However, he still lost to Zhang Guan by 0.04 seconds. American Tyson Gay came in third.

In the 110-meter hurdles, Liu won the championship, with American veteran Allen Johnson taking second place and Cuban youngster Robles finishing third.

After the Golden League Zurich meet, Zhang Guan remained the only athlete with four consecutive wins. Four athletes, including Richards in the women's 400 meters, Dibaba in the women's 5000 meters, Bekele in the men's 5000 meters, and Saladino in the men's long jump, each had three wins.

Following the Golden League Zurich meet, Zhang Guan did not return to China but headed to Belgium to prepare for the upcoming Golden League Brussels meet.

This promises to be a very special Golden League.