Sun Yang CAS appeal cost Wada over US$600,000: report
- World Anti-Doping Agency reveal spending on successful case against Chinese swimmer in annual report
- China was biggest extra contributor to the body, giving US$993,000 in additional funding in 2019
“A number of high-profile anti-doping cases also required additional resources. Wada’s successful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS] in the case of swimmer Sun Yang was a particularly significant one with more than USD600,000 invested,” the report read.
Wada took Sun and Fina to the CAS over a controversial 2018 doping test and the ruling from Fina, via an independent panel, that the swimmer had done no wrong.
The appeal eventually took place in November 2019 with a ruling coming in February this year. Sun was banned for eight years by CAS, effectively ending his career and denying his hopes of a fourth Olympics appearance and fourth Olympic gold.
No decision on Sun appeals yet, says Swiss Federal Tribunal
Sun has filed two appeals with the Swiss Federal Tribunal, which can overrule CAS based on legal protocol, though no news has come from the tribunal.
The Wada annual report – “Towards a World of Clean Sport: Celebrating 20 years of Progress in Anti-Doping” – also revealed that China was among the biggest contributors to their anti-doping efforts.
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“Over and above their usual annual contribution to Wada of US$17,117,084, Governments contributed an additional US$1,621,498, to Wada in 2019,” they wrote, with China providing most of that extra income.
China gave an additional US$992,694 for 2019, which was down on their 2018 contribution.
Poland, Japan and Australia also made extra contributions to help Wada to an operating income of US$38.1 million last year. Operating expenses for the same period were US$37.8 million.
