LAUSANNE • China's swim king Sun Yang yesterday expressed his anger and shock after being handed an eight-year suspension for a doping test violation that not only rules him out of the Tokyo Olympics, but also effectively ends his career.

Vowing to appeal against the Court of Arbitration for Sport's (CAS) decision, he said: "I have entrusted a lawyer to appeal to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court in accordance with the law.

"I will let more people know the truth. I firmly believe in my innocence. Believe that facts must overcome lies."

On Weibo, China's version of Twitter, the 28-year-old repeated his defence that the doping testers who went to his Hangzhou home in September 2018 were not qualified, leading to a vial of his blood being smashed with a hammer by members of his entourage.

He said: "I feel shocked, angry, I can't understand... I will fight to the end to defend my legitimate rights and interests."

The CAS earlier accepted an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) against a decision by world swimming governing body Fina to clear Sun of wrongdoing for his conduct during that out-of-competition test.

"The CAS panel unanimously determined, to its comfortable satisfaction, that the athlete violated article 2.5 Fina DC (Tampering with any part of Doping Control)," an official statement read.

"In particular, the panel found that the personnel in charge of the doping control complied with all applicable requirements as set out in the ISTI (International Standard for Testing and Investigation).

"Specifically, the athlete failed to establish he had a compelling justification to destroy his sample collection containers and forgo the doping control when, in his opinion, the collection protocol was not in compliance with the ISTI.

"It is one thing, having provided a blood sample, to question the accreditation of the testing personnel while keeping the intact samples in the possession of the testing authorities.

"It is quite another thing, after lengthy exchanges and warnings as to the consequences, to act in such a way that results in destroying the sample containers, thereby eliminating any chance of testing the sample at a later stage."

It added the eight-year ban was imposed because the three-time Olympic gold medallist already had an earlier anti-doping rule violation recorded against his name in 2014.

Sun then served a three-month doping ban for taking the stimulant trimetazidine, which he claimed was used to treat a heart condition.

In response to his ban, the Chinese Swimming Association (CSA) said it "regretted the ruling" before promising to support Sun.

"We are deeply sorry (for the decision)," it added. "The CSA has always held a zero-tolerance stance on doping and attached much importance on athletes' anti-doping education."

The body also reiterated Sun's view the international testing company IDTM had fielded sample collectors "without professional training and eligible credentials" to conduct the doping test.

Wada, however, welcomed the ruling as "a significant result" and said it was "satisfied that justice in this case has been rendered".

In the wake of the ruling, which led to the CAS website temporarily crashing, tens of thousands of Chinese flooded social media in support of Sun, stating the verdict was "cruel" and "unjust".

"Foreigners are jealous. It is really unfair to treat him in this way. Since when did competitive sports become villain sports?" decried one Weibo user.

However, the Australian swimming fraternity, of whom Sun has had run-ins with, backed the decision.

Reigning 400m freestyle gold medallist Mack Horton called him a "drug cheat" at the Rio Games and refused to stand beside him on the podium at last July's world championships in Gwangju, South Korea.

In light of the CAS suspension, his peers felt he had been "vindicated".

Teammate Kyle Chalmers, who won the 100m freestyle gold in 2016, told news.com.au: "I support Mack and what Mack stands for."

The Australian Olympic Committee added it "respects the decision of the CAS and confirms its commitment to protecting clean athletes and the integrity of sport".

No date has been set for when Sun's appeal will be heard by the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.

REUTERS, XINHUA