AFP, South Korea :
The Swimming World Championships in Gwangju this week have been dominated by Sun Yang and renewed doping allegations that have sparked podium protests and ugly scenes at poolside.
Chinese superstar Sun has been no stranger to controversy over the years and, here, AFP lists the main flashpoints from the triple Olympic champion freestyler’s chequered career:
Sun fell out with coach Zhu Zhigen in 2013 after a row over the swimmer’s new love interest. The Olympic champion refused to train after Zhu ordered him to cut romantic ties with a flight attendant. Chinese swimming officials attempted to mediate but the damage was done and Sun split with Zhu after 10 years under his tutelage.
Just months later Sun spent seven days in detention after slamming a borrowed Porsche into a bus in the eastern city of Hangzhou. The swimmer, who had been driving without a licence, walked away with minor cuts and bruises but the incident infuriated Chinese swimming officials. It also triggered public anger, forcing Sun to make a grovelling apology on China’s Twitter-like Weibo, promising to mend his ways.
Sun found himself in hot water again at the 2014 Asian Games when he described the Japanese national anthem us “ugly” after losing to Kosuke Hagino in the 200m freestyle. The hulking swimmer said he was “sick of hearing that anthem” as Japan’s swimmers gave their rivals a bloody nose. He then taunted the Japanese after helping China win the 4x100m freestyle gold, crying: “The Chinese let their anger out tonight!”
Sun was banned for three months in 2014 – a suspension served out in secret – after taking a stimulant he has always maintained was prescribed medicine for a heart condition. Chinese swim officials blamed the swimmer and his local Zhejiang association for “mistakes” with paperwork. News of Sun’s suspension divided opinion leading to rancour at the Rio Olympics.
