Chinese swimmer gets lifelong ban for doping

China's top swimmer, Ouyang Kunpeng, has been banned from competition for life after testing positive for steroids, a top Chinese swimming official said on Friday with only 43 days to go before the Beijing Olympics.

Ouyang, who won three silver medals in the 2006 Doha Asian Games, failed an out-of-competition test which was conducted on May 1, said Li Hua, director of the Chinese Swimming Administration Center, the country's swimming governing body.

The 25-year-old is China's best male backstroke swimmer. His previous best result was a fourth place in the 50m backstroke at the World Short Course Championships in 2006. His coach Feng Shangbao has also been disqualified from coaching for life, Li said.