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Jonathan White

Chinese swimming star Sun Yang has lost his case at the Court of Arbitration for Sport and has been banned for eight years, the CAS ruled today.
The swimmer, who says he will appeal against the ban, was brought before the highest court of appeal in sport by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) over incidents surrounding an out-of-competition test at his home in September 2018.
Sun’s team questioned the credentials of the testers, resulting in a refusal to give some samples and the destruction of others. It was claimed some blood samples were smashed with a hammer at the swimmer’s request.
Fina held a hearing into the irregularities surrounding the test and cleared Sun of wrongdoing in January 2019.

However, Wada were unhappy with that ruling and took the case to CAS, seeking a four-year ban for the swimmer.
“The CAS panel unanimously determined, to its comfortable satisfaction, that the athlete violated Article 2.5 FINA DC (Tampering with any part of Doping Control),” read a statement from the CAS.
“In particular, the panel found that the personnel in charge of the doping control compiled with all applicable requirements as set out in the ISTI. More specifically, the Athlete failed to establish that he had a compelling justification to destroy his sample collection containers and forego the doping control when, in his opinion, the collection protocol was not in compliance with the ISTI (International Standard for Testing and Investigations).
“As the CAS panel noted, it is one thing, having provided a blood sample, to question the accreditation of the testing personnel while keeping the intact samples in the possession of the testing authorities; it is quite another thing, after lengthy exchanges and warnings as to the consequences, to act in such a way that results in destroying the sample containers, thereby eliminating any chance of testing the sample at a later stage.”
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Speaking to China’s state news agency Xinhua after the announcement, the swimmer said he will “definitely” appeal against his ban from the pool. The ban effectively ends the 28-year-old’s top-level swimming career.
Sun requested a public hearing, only the second in CAS history following swimmer Michelle de Bruin. The Irish Olympic gold medallist was found guilty in 1999.
CAS agreed to Sun’s request but the hearing was delayed because of personal issues and rescheduled.
That hearing, when it came in November 2019, was broadcast live on the internet. It was beset by translation issues, which eventually saw a Chinese member of the CAS staff step in after the translator appointed by Sun’s legal team was unable to translate correctly.
Sun Yang doping tester was ‘construction worker’: Chinese state media report
This delayed the result of the hearing as both sides agreed to a new translation for the transcript ahead of the verdict, CAS announced in December. They also said that a verdict would come no sooner than mid-January.
Sun also complained that he was not allowed to show the videos that he claimed would prove his innocence. Chinese state news agency Xinhua later ran an interview with someone claiming to be one of the doping team on the night. He said that rather than be a training official, he was a construction worker helping a former school friend.
Before the hearing Sun was free to swim at the Fina World Aquatics Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, earlier in the year.
Sun Yang doping verdict postponed over translation: CAS
Sun found himself the target of other athletes in South Korea. Long-time rival Mack Horton refused to share a podium after Sun won the 400m freestyle.
The Australian, who pipped Sun to gold in the event in Rio, has been an outspoken critic of the Chinese swimmer because of his previous drugs ban, which was only announced after being served in 2014.
Sun claims that the doping ban was from heart medicine prescribed by a doctor and an innocent mistake. The drug, trimetazidine, had been upgraded to a stimulant at the time but has since been downgraded and Wada chose not to take it further at the time.
Sun thanks ‘construction worker’ as China enacts new doping laws
Elsewhere at the worlds, British swimmer Duncan Scott refused to shake Sun’s hand after the 200m free. The Chinese swimmer crowed “You are a loser. I am a winner,” to the Briton.
With the verdict hanging over him, Sun continued his preparation for Tokyo 2020, where he was hoping to defend his 200m gold and reclaim the 400m he lost to Horton in Rio.
He swam at the Fina Champions Series in Shenzhen and Beijing this month, picking up one gold (400m) and one silver (200m) in Shenzhen before winning both distances in the Chinese capital.
After winning in Beijing Sun again vowed to defend his Olympic title in Tokyo.
Construction worker and CAS confusion make Sun trial a farce


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Sun Yang

Olympic swimmer Sun Yang banned for eight years after CAS finds star guilty of doping offences

China’s Sun Yang has been banned for eight years. Photo: AFP

(FILES) In this file photo taken on November 15, 2019 China's swimming star Sun Yang, accused of smashing a blood vial with a hammer, is seen on a TV screen during a public hearing before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Montreux. - Chinese Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang will learn on February 28, 2020 whether he faces a possible eight-year ban for missing a drug test, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) said. (Photo by jean-guy PYTHON / AFP)

Sun Yang CAS hearing: Swimmer thanks ‘construction worker’ as China introduces new doping laws to punish others as well as athletes

China superstar Sun Yang thanked “the urine inspector for being honest and brave”. Photo: AP

China's Sun Yang takes photos on the pool deck ahead of a night session at the World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Saturday, July 27, 2019. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Sun Yang CAS doping verdict postponed while sides agree on transcript following concerns over translation at hearing

Chinese swimmer Sun Yang seen on a video screen as he speaks during his public hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in November. Photo: AP

(191116) -- MONTREUX, Nov. 16, 2019 (Xinhua) -- Chinese three-time Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang (2nd L) and his lawyers attend a public hearing in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Montreux, Switzerland, on Nov. 15, 2019, as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed against Sun Yang and FINA over FINA's previous decision in favor of Sun on his alleged anti-doping rule violations. (Photo by Alain Grosclaude/Xinhua)

Sun Yang doping hearing: tester was ‘construction worker’, says Chinese state media report

Chinese swimmer Sun Yang poses after a public hearing of the Court of Arbitration for Sport at the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace in Montreux, Switzerland. Photo: Reuters

FILE - In this Sunday, July 21, 2019 file photo, China's Sun Yang, centre, holds up his gold medal as silver medalist Australia's Mack Horton, left, stands away from the podium with bronze medalist Italy's Gabriele Detti at right, after the men's 400m freestyle final at the World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. One of China's biggest Olympic stars will undergo a rare public trial of a doping case on Friday, Nov. 15, 2019 with his 2020 Tokyo Games place at stake. Three-time gold medalist swimmer Sun Yang is facing a World Anti-Doping Agency appeal in Switzerland that seeks to ban him for up eight years. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

Swimmer Sun Yang from China is seen on a video screen as he speaks during a public hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Montreux, Switzerland, Friday, Nov. 15 2019. One of China's biggest Olympic stars and three-time gold medalist swimmer Sun Yang is facing a World Anti-Doping Agency appeal in Switzerland that seeks to ban him for up eight years for allegedly refusing to give samples voluntarily. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

FILED - 23 July 2019, South Korea, Gwangju: Chinese swimmer Sun Yang holds his golden medal after wining the 200m freestyle, men during the Swimming world championship. A public hearing began Friday at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over a contested anti-doping test on China swimming star Sun Yang. Photo: Bernd Thissen/dpa

Sport

China


Chinese star swimmer refused to submit a blood sample
China’s most high-profile Olympian will miss the Tokyo Games



Chinese star swimmer refused to submit a blood sample and will miss the Tokyo Games.


Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Olympic swimmer Sun Yang banned for eight years after CAS finds star guilty of doping offences

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;} Chinese star swimmer refused to submit a blood sample China’s most high-profile Olympian will miss the Tokyo Games

Chinese star swimmer refused to submit a blood sample

China’s most high-profile Olympian will miss the Tokyo Games