Chinese trolls target Andrew Bogut in bizarre Sun Yang twist
Champion basketball player Andrew Bogut has been inundated with angry tweets from Chinese trolls after taking aim at controversial swimming champion Sun Yang.
The FINA World Championships this week have been overshadowed by two separate protests about Yang being allowed to compete at the World Championships.
Australia’s Mack Horton and Britain’s Duncan Scott both refused to share the podium with Yang, following the Chinese swimmer’s victories in the 400m and 200m freestyle finals.
Sun, who served a three-month doping ban in 2014, is being allowed by FINA to compete in Gwangju ahead of a Court for Arbitration in Sport hearing in September that threatens Sun's career.
He has been accused of smashing vials of his blood with a hammer during a clash last year with testers, and faces a lifetime ban if found guilty.
Many other athletes have come out in support of the stance against Yang - including Bogut.
After tweeting that swimmers who win medals should ‘break the podiums with hammers’, Bogut soon found himself inundated with trolls.
A similar story emerged after Horton’s initial protest, with his Instagram accound quickly flooded with abusive comments.
For Bogut’s part, he was happy to take it all in stride.
Replies to this 👇 are absolute gold! https://t.co/LTXj4M5VvM
— Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) July 23, 2019
playing in NBA is so tough right?
— XhanL (@xhanlll) July 23, 2019
I think those losers who can't accept failure should have a game of their own.
where everyone gets a gold medal of course— Yαnρinξ (@sunhinur) July 23, 2019
Swimmers who medal vs Sun Yang should break ur mother's head with hammers.......😅
— sxx (@sxxsxxsxxpk) July 24, 2019
You better apologize for saying that. You know nothing about the truth. Time will tell.Some athletes lose both their games and their dignity.
— Ryenas (@Ryenas1) July 24, 2019
why they kneel？？？？ pic.twitter.com/q6sD7Pmmwl
— Bo Cui (@bobobooooo7) July 24, 2019
FINA issues warnings after fiery confrontation
FINA were forced to send out more warning letters over another podium protest directed at Sun in South Korea.
The governing body issued sanctions late on Tuesday night to Chinese star Sun and Briton Duncan Scott after extraordinary scenes following the 200m freestyle final at Gwangju.
Second-placed Sun was gifted the 200m world title following Lithuania's Danas Rapsys' disqualification for a false start.
‘NOT FRIENDS’: Female swimmers re-ignite ugly feud at world championships
Then Scott followed the lead of Australia's Mack Horton and refused to acknowledge the Chinese star at the medal ceremony.
Co-bronze medallist Scott stood on the podium but did not shake the triple Olympic champion's hand or took part in the ceremony's photo shoot, prompting an angry reaction from the now 11-time world champion Sun.
Sun could be seen gesticulating wildly at Scott post-ceremony, with TV cameras capturing the Chinese champion saying: "You loser, I am winning".
Scott kept his cool during the exchange, smiling at Sun but both the Briton and the Chinese swimmer were soon issued with warning letters from FINA for their "inadequate behaviour".