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. Olympic swimmer Sun Yang banned for eight years after CAS finds star guilty of doping offences The hearing was held in November and in February CAS ruled in favour of Wada, banning Sun for eight years and effectively ending his career. The 28-year-old swimmer said he would appeal the ruling. Sun burst on to the scene at the 2011 world championships in Shanghai by winning the 800 metres freestyle and 1,500m freestyle, the latter in world record time. He went on to lower his 1,500m record at the 2012 Olympics in London, clocking 14:31.02. He also won 400m gold in London and 200m gold at the 2016 Rio Games. However, his career is blighted by accusations from rivals that he is a doping cheat, with Australian Mack Horton among his biggest critics. Sun Yang backlash: Chinese fans turn on their hero and apologise to ‘hated’ Aussie Mack Horton At the 2019 world championships in Gwangju, South Korea, Sun beat Horton in the 400m but the Australian refused to share the podium with the Chinese swimmer. A similar incident occurred in the 200m medal ceremony when Briton Duncan Scott snubbed Sun. The animosity to Sun started after the Chinese Swimming Association revealed that he was banned for three months after testing positive in 2014 for trimetazidine, a substance newly introduced into Wada’s banned list. After Sun’s ban by the CAS, Chinese fans started to turn on their hero, even apologising to Horton and his family for trolling them on social media at the height of the rivalry.