Sun Yang

Sun Yang

Chinese Olympic champion banned for eight years

Posted on March 1, 2021

China's three-time Olympic champion, Sun Yang, has been handed an eight-year ban for missing a doping test in September 2018. The 28-year-old swimmer was initially cleared of any wrongdoing by Fina, the swimming federation, in January 2019. However, following an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the decision has been overturned.

The ban comes as a major blow to Sun Yang's career, as he will now be unable to participate in the upcoming Tokyo Olympics and the subsequent Paris Olympics. This ruling also tarnishes his previously unblemished reputation as one of China's most successful athletes.

The controversy surrounding Sun Yang began when he was accused of smashing a vial of his blood with a hammer during a doping test. Although he denied the allegations, the CAS panel found him guilty of tampering with the sample. This violation carries a severe penalty, resulting in the lengthy ban.