Hammer affair: Swimming star Sun Yang rejects allegations

When doping inspectors visited Sun's property on the night of September 5, 2018, a scandal broke out, which resulted in a destroyed doping sample.

The inspectors "were unable to show me the documents proving their identity, so I could not allow them to take a sample from me," the 27-year-old said at a rare public hearing before the International Court of Arbitration for Sport CAS, "if they had been professional and identified themselves, we wouldn't be here today," said Sun Yang.

When questioned in a hotel in Montreux by lawyers from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the three-time Olympic champion did not admit to destroying the blood sample. During the interrogation, the Chinese translators repeatedly had problems with communication.

According to a report by the world association FINA, things were said to be turbulent that evening in Sun's property in the Chinese province of Zhejiang; after all, Sun Yang gave at least one blood sample, but no urine sample. However, a security guard later smashed the blood sample container with a hammer; Sun stood next to it and used the flashlight function on his cell phone to provide light.

There's a lot at stake for Asia's flagship swimmers. If he does not convince the tribunal, he will face a doping ban of up to eight years as a repeat offender. However, a verdict is not expected on Friday.

The world association FINA, which is criticized for its lax anti-doping policy, acquitted Sun at a hearing in January on the curious grounds that the truth would probably "never be known." However, WADA lodged an objection, which is why the CAS appointment now took place.

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Hammer affair: Swimming star Sun Yang rejects allegations

The Chinese swimming star Sun Yang rejected the allegations against him in the "Hammer affair" at the hearing before the CAS in Montreux.

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