Sun Yang’s doping ban ends swimming career defined by tears, taunts and tantrums
- ‘Arrogant’ swimmer made few friends in or out of the pool over controversial career, clashing with rival Mack Horton
- Enabled by Fina at every turn, Sun had little reason to fear Court of Arbitration for Sport would ban him for eight years
Much like the other “Sun King”, Louis XIV of France, China’s superstar swimmer has surrounded himself with a court of flatterers and sycophants.
That is why Sun, 28, only talks to state-run media Xinhua and CCTV, plus two or three Chinese print journalists, as he knows the coverage will be positive. Heaven forbid there was any negativity, or worse: people preferred rival Ning Zetao, as some fans and media did.
This and the literal embrace of swimming’s governing body – Sun was hugged by Fina executive Cornel Macrulescu after winning gold in Rio – built up the cult of Sun.
He had no reason to fear a ban from the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) as Fina cleared him of any wrongdoing in the hearing that led to the World Anti-Doping Agency appeal and also supported a move to get the CAS hearing stopped.