'You lose': Sun Yang at centre of 'disgusting' new controversy
Sun Yang has been jeered by fans after confronting a rival swimmer who followed in the footsteps of Australia’s Mack Horton and chose not to stand on the podium with the controversial Chinese swimmer.
Sun lapped up the applause when he won gold in the 200m freestyle after Lithuanian rival Danas Rapsys, who touched home first, was disqualified.
The Chinese swimmer’s victory followed his win over Horton in the 400m freestyle on Sunday.
But while the drama kicked off with Horton’s podium protest two days ago, this time the swimmers were still in the water.
Sun was awarded victory after an apparent false start by Rapsys, though there were reports he had moved on the blocks.
Despite the circumstances Sun refused to play down his victory, sitting on the lane rope, splashing the water and fist-pumping to a mix of cheers and boos from the Gwangju crowd.
He was timed in one minute, 44.93 seconds.
Boos round the arena as Chinese Sun Yang wins the men’s 200m final this after Lithuanian Raspys Donas is disqualified. Painful one to take #FINAGwangju2019 pic.twitter.com/PZlcPNF1F7
— Derrick Ntege (@derrick_ntege) July 23, 2019
Ha, so Sun Yang just came 2nd in the 200 freestyle, but the guy who won (Rapsys, Lithuania) has just been DQd for a false start (more a wobble, actually), so Sun Yang gets upgraded to gold. It’s crazy how the petrol always ends up being poured on the same flame.
— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) July 23, 2019
Rapsys moved on the blocks, wins but gets the DQ. He is filthy, straight through the mixed zone without stopping. Sun plays to the crowd again; not the time to gloat given the circumstances. That's why he rubsa lot of swimmers the wrong way.
— Phil Lutton (@phillutton78) July 23, 2019
British swimmer follows Horton’s stance
Great Britain’s Duncan Scott, who tied for bronze with Russia’s Martin Malyutin, followed in Horton’s footsteps and refused to stand on the podium.
Scott kept his hands behind his back and refused to shake Sun's hand, standing off on his own while the other medallists joined Sun to pose for photographers.
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.
Scott also declined to stop on the pool deck for official photos, prompting a furious Sun to get in his face, waving his finger at Scott and barking "You lose, I win!" before they walked downstairs for their lap of honour.
Both athletes were subsequently warned by FINA for "bringing the sport into disrepute" with a statement from swimming's governing body reading: "Both competitors had an inadequate behaviour on this occasion."
Scott later told reporters: "If Sun can't respect our sport then why should I respect him? I think a lot of people, everyone in swimming, got behind what Mack did.”
Fellow Briton Adam Peaty agreed.
"He's completely right," said Peaty after qualifying fastest for Wednesday's 50m breaststroke final.
"(Sun) should be asking himself whether he should really be in the sport," he added.
"I wouldn't have gone on the podium. The most important thing as a sportsperson is you have the right to a voice and Duncan showed his voice."
I have never seen an athlete act as disgusting as Sun Yang just did
— Sudovad (@Davodus) July 23, 2019
Sun Yang booed at the world swimming champs you get what you deserve you drug cheat
— Pete (@olympicpete2000) July 23, 2019
Remarkable. Duncan Scott refuses to shake hands with the controversial Sun Yang on the podium. The crowd voiced their approval. Sun greeted with jeers. #FINAGwangju2019 #FINAWorlds #Gwangju2019
— Srikar Dhanakoti (@SrikarDR) July 23, 2019
Australia’s Clyde Lewis, who had upstaged Sun in the 200m freestyle semi-finals, led for the first two laps before fading to finish sixth following Rapsys’s disqualification.
with agencies