BEIJING – Olympic and world champion swimmer Sun Yang served a three-month doping ban earlier this year, China’s anti-doping agency disclosed Monday, in a case that raised questions over why the positive test was kept quiet for so long.
Sun tested positive for the banned stimulant trimetazidine on May 17 during China’s national swimming championships in Hangzhou.
The suspension began immediately and ended on Aug. 17, prior to Sun’s appearance in September at the Asian Games at Incheon, South Korea, where he won three gold medals.
Amid criticism on social media, the anti-doping agency defended its delay in announcing the 22-year-old Sun’s test and sanction, saying it was for no other reason than a backlog of cases.
The agency’s director, Zhao Jian, told The Associated Press the ban was announced as part of a periodic release of testing results and disciplinary measures. He said Sun’s support team and team doctor were also given penalties, which he didn’t specify.
Sun’s sanction was also posted Monday on the website of the international swimming federation, FINA. It said the Chinese swimming association also imposed a 1-year ban on Sun’s doctor, Ba Zhen.