The hearing of Sun Yang (right) before the CAS takes place in Montreux (Switzerland). - jean-guy PYTHON

The lawyer of the Chinese swimmer Sun Yang, suspended Friday for eight years for having hammered a sample during an unexpected doping test in September 2018, estimated on Saturday that "evil has conquered justice".

Counsel for the triple Olympic champion Zhang Qihuai has reaffirmed his client's intention to prosecute an inspector who he said provided "false evidence" in a statement. He also accused the World Anti-Doping Agency of "falsifying the facts and abusing its power".

"Power replaces the obvious truth"

"February 28, 2020 was a dark day," writes Zhang Qihuai. It shows the scene of evil which destroys justice and of power which replaces the obvious truth. On that day, the CAS turned a blind eye to the rules and procedures, turned a blind eye to the facts and the obvious, and accepted all the lies and false evidence. "

He considered that the anti-doping agents who went to the swimmer's home were neither competent nor authorized. Sun's suspension has been welcomed by most athletes who advocate clean sport.

A thought for all those who have arrived behind him all these years, and who have been robbed of their podium, their anthem, their moment of sharing and glory. https://t.co/SEETa3ccdW

- Yannick Agnel (@YannickAgnel) February 28, 2020

But Australian Mark Horton, one of his fiercest rivals who had refused to shake his hand and climb on the podium in the 400m freestyle at the Worlds-2019, said that there was nothing personal in His gesture. "My position has always been (to defend) a clean sport, not to target nations or individuals," he told Australian television channel Channel Seven. David Sharpe, who heads the Australian Anti-Doping Agency, said that the CAS "restores confidence in the anti-doping system".

"It has become intolerable", Sun Yang returns to the sling of the Worlds via @ 20minutesSport https://t.co/4LjJvqx0bF

- 20 Minutes Sport (@ 20minutesSport) August 27, 2019

With this sanction, Sun Yang, triple Olympic champion and crowned eleven times world champion, is thus deprived at 28 years of the Olympic Games in Tokyo, next summer. On the other hand, its titles won after the gigantic control, notably the gold medals of the 200 and 400m freestyle in Gwangju (South Korea) in July 2019, "are not withdrawn retroactively", specified the secretary general of the CAS, Matthieu Reeb.

  • China
  • doping
  • Sport
  • Swimming