Drug supplier 'not approved by SFDA'

The Chinese pharmaceutical company involved in the Greek doping scandal is neither approved nor registered as a drug producer with the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), Yan Jiangying, a spokesperson for the agency, said yesterday.

Greek media reported last week that 11 members of the national weightlifting team failed a dope test after taking dietary supplements made by Shanghai-based Auspure Biotechnology.

An investigation by Chinese government agencies, including the SFDA, the Ministry of Information Industry and the General Administration of Sport, is ongoing, Yan said.