He trained several world-class middle and long distance female runners including Wang Junxia and Qu Yunxia, who hold several world records.
He and his pupils were also called the Ma family army (馬家軍) for their stunning performance in domestic and international events.
Starting as a track coach in a remote rural middle school, he adopted a systematic, allegedly scientific training strategy, which includes encouragement, nutritional tonics using Traditional Chinese medicine and track training balancing stamina and speed.
He has strongly denied this, although six of his athletes were among 27 competitors dropped from China's team for the Sydney Olympic games after failing blood tests.
News Reports surfaced February 2016 of a Chinese journalist who claimed 10 of the country's Olympic champions and world record holders have said they were part of a state-sponsored doping program, in a letter apparently from Wang Junxia, with nine other signatories, that alleged that the athletes had been forced to take drugs.