Doping scam gives Japan Asiad runner up scoop

TOKYO (Agencies): Host Japan has moved up to second spot in the Asian Games medal standings following drug abuse cases involving 11 Chinese athletes.

Japan was handed China's six gold medals, all from swimming competitions, to beat previous runner-up South Korea by two golds. Japan finished third with 59 golds, 68 silvers and 80 bronzes behind South Korea which grabbed 63 golds, 53 silvers and 63 bronzes at the conclusion of the Oct. 2-16 Games. South Korea, which overshadowed Japan in the last three Games was granted no single gold medal.

The Olympic Council of Asia has stripped the Chinese of their 15 gold medals, six silvers and a bronze, as well as records, they won in swimming, canoeing, track and field and cycling competitions in Hiroshima. The Olympic Council has yet to officially announced the new medals tally.

However, China kept four of its golds, three from swimming and one from cycling, because the athletes tested positive for the steroid Dehydrotestosterone lost their first place to their compatriots -- second place winners. China remains the runaway champion with 126 golds, 86 silvers and 59 bronzes.

Asia's new sports powerhouses Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan shared two golds from canoeing. Kazakhstan took another unexpected gold from the men's 50m freestyle. Both former Soviet Union republics, however, made no changes in their rankings.

Ratapong Sirinont lifted Thailand's two golds from men's 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley, allowing the Southeast Asia country to leap three places from its previous spot of 15th. Thailand now collects three golds, 11 silvers and 13 bronzes, just a mere silver shy of toppling fellow Southeast Asian country Indonesia from the 11th place.