Page 22 - aruba-today-20200229

A22 SPORTS
Saturday 29 February 2020
Olympic champion Sun Yang banned for 8 years in doping case

By GRAHAM DUNBAR body for appearing to pro-
AP Sports Writer tect one of the sport's big-
GENEVA (AP) — When the gest stars in a key market.
hammer came down on FINA issued a statement
a container holding a vial noting it would imple-
of Sun Yang's blood, it ulti- ment the verdict of a court
mately shattered the ca- whose judgments are bind-
reer of China's greatest ing on any sports governing
swimmer. body. Sun never missed a
The three-time Olympic major event while banned
champion was banned for in 2014. He added 200 gold
eight years on Friday, likely at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro
ending the 28-year-old Olympics to the historic 400
Sun's racing days before he and 1,500 titles he took in
could defend his 200-meter London four years earlier.
freestyle title at the Tokyo He won a total of 11 golds
Games. in five straight world cham-
The Court of Arbitration for pionships from 2011 to 2019,
Sport found the three-time at each freestyle distance
Olympic champion guilty of from 200 to 1,500. At three
refusing to cooperate with Asian Games from 2010
sample collectors during a to 2018, he won nine gold
visit to his home in Septem- medals.
ber 2018 that turned con- In this Friday, July 26, 2019 file photo, China's Sun Yang waves following the men's 4x200m freestyle The court ruled Friday
frontational. relay heats at the World Swimming Championships in Gwangju, South Korea. Associated Press that Sun can retain the
The most vivid detail of the two world titles he won in
evidence — a blood sam- his opinion, the collection Sun, the first Chinese swim- Sun can now appeal to South Korea last July while
ple rendered useless for protocol was not in com- mer to win Olympic gold, Switzerland's supreme the WADA appeal case
testing by a hammer blow pliance," the CAS panel of has long been a polarizing court, but on narrow proce- against him was pending.
— left a clear impression on three judges agreed in a figure in the pool. dural grounds. His lawyers Days after the 2018 Asian
the judges. A rare hearing unanimous verdict. Rivals branded him a drug have already had three Games, Sun was visited
in open court in November China's most famous swim- cheat at the 2016 Rio de federal appeals dismissed at his home by three of-
was reminded of how a se- mer, and one of its big- Janeiro Olympics, and two on legal process issues. ficials sent by a Swedish
curity guard instructed by gest stars in any sport, had competitors refused to WADA requested a ban firm to get blood and urine
Sun's mother broke the cas- asked CAS for a public trial. stand with him on medal of between two and eight samples from him. Interna-
ing around the vial to en- A 10-hour hearing broad- podiums at the 2019 world years for a second dop- tional athletes must notify
sure the blood could not be cast on the court's website championships. ing conviction. Sun served where and when they will
used for anti-doping tests. showed Sun to be evasive Now banned until February a three-month ban in 2014 be available for one hour
The swimmer lit the early- at times under question- 2028, the 28-year-old Sun imposed by Chinese au- each day, and Sun had
hours scene with his mobile ing that was hampered cannot defend his 200-me- thorities after testing posi- suggested late on Sept. 4.
phone. "The athlete failed by severe translation issues ter freestyle title in Tokyo. tive for a stimulant that was When FINA prosecuted Sun
to establish that he had a between Chinese and Eng- "WADA ... is satisfied that banned at the time. The following the incident, its
compelling justification to lish. The CAS panel's verdict justice in this case has been ban was not announced tribunal panel in January
destroy his sample collec- was delayed until all parties rendered," the body's di- until after it ended. 2019 merely warned Sun
tion containers and forego got a verified translation. rector general Olivier Niggli That first case led to criti- and cited doubts about
the doping control when, in The 6-foot, 7-inch (2-meter) said in a statement. cism of the world swimming the officials' credentials.q

Djokovic saves 3 match points vs Monfils to make Dubai final

DUBAI, United Arab Emir- going to help you. 6-3 without offering a break
ates (AP) — Novak Djokov- "That's one of the things chance in their first meet-
ic saved three consecutive that I feel at the moment. ing. "I just played a quality
match points to beat Gael OK, one point away, one of tennis which I enjoyed,"
Monfils on Friday and set up shot away. There is no go- Tsitsipas said. "I am really
a Dubai Championships fi- ing back. This is it. I accept impressed by the quality of
nal showdown against Ste- the situation and try to my game, and I really hope
fanos Tsitsipas. make the most out of it." to bring the same and pos-
Monfils led 6-3 in the sec- Djokovic extended a cou- sibly even better in the next
ond-set tiebreaker but ple of winning streaks: 20 round."
Djokovic saved all three on the tour dating to the He's 2-2 against Djokovic.
match points as his fore- Davis Cup Finals in Novem- "It's anybody's game really,"
hand forced errors. ber, and 17-0 against Mon- Djokovic said.
Djokovic converted his fils on the main tour. He will play for his fifth
eighth set point when Serbia's Novak Djokovic celebrates after he beats Gael Monfils Meanwhile, defeat brought Dubai title, trying to add to
Monfils double-faulted. He of France in a semi final match of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis an end to Monfils' career- 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2013.
cruised the rest of the way, Championship in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Friday, Feb. 28, best 12-match winning Tsitsipas, who lost in the
2020.
winning 2-6, 7-6 (8), 6-1. Associated Press streak, including titles in Dubai final a year ago to
"It's like being on the edge Montpellier and Rotterdam Roger Federer, will play
of a cliff," Djokovic said back so you have to jump for the best and believe this month. for his sixth career title. He
about the match points. over and try to find a way that you can make it, that No. 2-seeded Tsitsipas beat won the Marseille final last
"You know there is no way to survive I guess and pray there is something that is Daniel Evans of Britain 6-2, weekend.q