Controversial Sun Yang, the 11-time swimming World Champion and thrice Olympics Champion who is serving the eight years ban for tampering with his blood sample by breaking it with hammer; is in the news again.
The three-time Olympic champion was reportedly called up to the Chinese national squad for a three-month training camp in Zhejiang, according to the Beijing Youth Dailynewspaper.
Sun was reportedly one of 17 swimmers included in the training squad, with the camp scheduled to run from April 1 to June.
A statement published on the Chinese Swimming Association website has denied Sun is training, with the organisation insisting he is suspended following the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) decision.
“Sun is still under suspension after the CAS decision, even if he is in the process of appealing,” the Chinese Swimming Association said, according to the South China Morning Post.
“Therefore the circular (2020) 49 is voided.”
2012, Sun became the first Chinese man to win an Olympic gold medal in swimming. Sun is the first male swimmer in history to earn Olympic and World Championship gold medals at every free style distance between 200 and 1500 metres. A three-time Olympic gold medallist and eleven-time world champion, he is the most decorated Chinese swimmer in history. In 2017, NBC Sports described him as “arguably the greatest freestyle swimmer of all time”.
