China’s most decorated swimmer, Sun Yang, made a triumphant return to competitive swimming on Sunday, winning gold in the men’s 400m freestyle at the National Summer Swimming Championships in Hefei. This victory marks his first major competition after serving a controversial four-year ban for refusing to provide samples during an anti-doping test in 2018.
The 32-year-old swimmer, who was once vilified in China as a drugs cheat, received widespread praise across state media following his win. In a tearful interview, Sun thanked his family for their unwavering support throughout his suspension. “This is really because of the reliance and support from my family—that’s what’s kept me going until today,” he told the South China Morning Post.
Sun’s ban, imposed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in 2020, stemmed from an incident where he failed to cooperate with anti-doping officials.
In 2018, anti-doping officials visited his home for an out-of-competition test.
Sun and his team said the testers lacked the proper accreditation and refused to co-operate with them.
According to the testing team, a member of Sun’s entourage smashed a vial of his blood with a hammer to prevent them from departing with the sample.
Sun, who had already been suspended for three months in 2014 for using the banned substance Trimetazidine (TMZ), denied any wrongdoing and he was initially cleared by swimming’s governing body Fina. CAS later overturned the decision, resulting in an eight-year ban, which was subsequently reduced to four years and three months on appeal. As he had never technically tested positive for any banned substances, Sun was allowed to keep all of his medals.
Despite his long absence from competitive swimming, Sun is determined to return to the international stage, setting his sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. However, significant challenges lie ahead. Under China’s anti-doping regulations, athletes banned for more than a year are ineligible for national team selection, casting doubt on whether Sun can represent China again internationally. Moreover, his performance on Sunday, though victorious, was nearly nine seconds slower than his personal best from the 2012 London Olympics.
“I could have done better. Four years away from competition and without intensive training, I do feel rusty in controlling the tempo, and I need more competitions,” he told state-run outlet China Daily. “But it’s a good start for my comeback, and I’m happy with this result,” he added.
Sun’s return comes amidst heightened scrutiny of Chinese swimmers following a series of doping allegations at the Paris Olympics. Chinese state media and officials have accused Western powers of using doping tests as a tool to disrupt their athletes, further fueling tensions in the international sports community.
As Sun Yang embarks on his comeback journey, his victory on Sunday serves as both a personal triumph and a symbol of resilience in the face of adversity. However, whether he can reclaim his former glory on the world stage remains to be seen.
Melissa Enoch
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