Sun Yang: movie about life of controversial China swimming star to start production in 2021, says mainland report
- ‘China Movie News’ and other media outlets say the biopic will include all his highs, lows and doping controversies
- A director and actors have yet to be cast, the report says, while the swimmer has yet to respond to the news
A movie on the life of banned Chinese swimming champion Sun Yang is set to start production in 2021, according to mainland reports.
CCTV-6’s Chinese Movie News first broke the news last week, saying the Sun Yang biopic was among 3,000 projects seeking funding and distribution during the Marche du Film – an online Cannes-like movie market held online because of the Covid-19 pandemic – that ended on Friday.
A director and actors have yet to be cast for the film, which reports say will cover all the highs, lows and controversies – including his recent ban for a doping violation – Sun experienced during his high-profile career, which includes three Olympic gold medals and the 1,500 metres men’s freestyle world record.
The movie will also delve into Sun’s childhood growing up in Hangzhou in China’s Zhejiang province and his rise to become one of the world’s all-time great distance swimmers. The report says Sun has yet to respond to the news.
Earlier this year, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency over a September 2018 incident when Sun refused to cooperate with anti-doping officers who turned up at his home.
Sun was suspicious of the officers’ credentials and used a hammer to destroy a blood vial. Initially swimming’s world governing body, Fina, stood by Sun but Wada took the case to CAS.