Sun files Swiss court appeal

Chinese swim star launches final attempt to overturn eight-year ban for doping violation

Sun Yang, after a training session at the world swimming championships last year in Gwangju, where he won the 200m and 400m freestyle gold medals. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Sun Yang, after a training session at the world swimming championships last year in Gwangju, where he won the 200m and 400m freestyle gold medals. PHOTO: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

LAUSANNE • Disgraced Chinese swimming star Sun Yang has lodged an appeal against his eight-year doping ban with the Swiss Federal Tribunal (SFT).

Swimming World said his appeal had been registered last Wednesday, a report that was corroborated by The Australian newspaper, although no date has been set for the hearing.

The 28-year-old, who also served a three-month doping suspension in 2014, was found guilty of refusing to give a doping sample and banned for eight years by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in February. A vial of his blood sample was smashed by a hammer during a confrontation between Sun, members of his entourage and testers during an out-of-competition test at his Hangzhou home in September 2018.

CAS upheld an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) against swimming's governing body Fina.

All decisions made by CAS can be appealed to the SFT, the final arbiter on disputes filed on Swiss territory. But according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), any appeal will "focus solely on the legal process" and not on "the merits of the case".

As such, SCMP reported that it is extremely rare for the SFT to overturn CAS rulings.

Moreover, Sun already has failed dealings with the SFT - he twice tried unsuccessfully to get his case dismissed before the CAS hearing last November.

Unless he is successful with the appeal, the three-time Olympic gold medallist and current 200m freestyle champion will not be eligible for the Tokyo Games in July next year, effectively ending his career.

However, SCMP reported that Sun will be able to lodge another appeal to Fina to request leniency once the new Wada code comes into effect on Jan 1 next year.

After CAS banned Sun for eight years, the Chinese Swimming Association (CSA) said that it supported its star swimmer, encouraging him to "continue to safeguard his legitimate rights".

Last month, Wada demanded answers after Sun, who remains suspended during the appeal process, was called up for national training for the Olympics in an apparent breach.

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    Golds banned Sun Yang won at last year's world championships will stay on his honours list as the CAS could not retrospectively strip him of titles.

The CSA later said the notice naming Sun for the training camp was "invalid".

The swimmer has kept a low profile since his ban, and has not been seen in public or active on social media. The medals he won at last year's world championships, including two golds, remain on his list of honours after CAS said it could not retrospectively strip him of titles.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 06, 2020, with the headline Sun files Swiss court appeal. Subscribe