Sun Yang’s doping date set just eight weeks before Tokyo Olympics

Sun Yang could yet compete at the Tokyo Olympics and take on rival Mack Horton as the dates for his anti-doping case were revealed.

The drawn out anti-doping case that will decide whether Chinese swimmer Sun Yang can compete at the postponed Tokyo Olympics will finally be heard next month – just eight weeks before his possible rematch with Australian anti-drugs crusader Mack Horton.

After months of deafening silence, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that the appeal against Sun’s let off for tampering with his samples before they could be tested for drugs will take place between May 24-28.

But there is still no announcement on when the verdict will be released, opening the possibility that China’s most successful but controversial swimmer will be allowed to compete at the Tokyo Olympics while his case is still pending, raising the prospect of a repeat of the protests that took place at the 2019 world championships.

Sun Yang could yet be free to compete at the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: AFP

The Games are due to start on July 23 so the arbitrators who will decide his fate will have to get a wriggle on if they are to reach a verdict in time.

Sun’s case has already been dragging on since late 2018, when he was first charged for destroying his samples after a surprise, random out-of-competition test at his home.

The decision from Sun’s last appeal with the CAS in late 2019 – in which he was found guilty of tampering and banned for eight years – took 105 days to be announced.

This time there are just 56 days between the new case dates and the Opening Ceremony.

Initially cleared of wrongdoing then later banned after three arbitrators unanimously found Sun guilty of breaking the rules at a public hearing in Switzerland, Sun’s case was sent back to the CAS after one of the judges was accused of anti-Chinese bias.

Sun’s lawyers lodged an appeal months later when they spotted social media comments by Judge Franco Frattini castigating the Chinese practice of slaughtering dogs for meat consumption.

The Swiss Federal Supreme Court agreed that the comments were inappropriate so ordered Sun’s case to be re-trialled.

In a statement released overnight, CAS announced it had appointed three new arbitrators – Hans Nater (Switzerland), Jan Paulsson (France) and Bernard Hanotiau (Belgium) and the case would be heard via video link.

“At the conclusion of the hearing, the Panel will commence its deliberations and prepare the Arbitral Award,” CAS said.

“Accordingly, the decision will not be announced when the hearing concludes, but at a later date.”

If the case is not decided, or Sun is cleared, that would set the scene for a rematch against Horton, who was hailed as a hero in the fight to clean up sport when he refused to join Sun on the podium at the 2019 world championships.

Subjected to death threats to him and his family, snubbed by gutless sponsors frightened of alienating Chinese consumers and reprimanded by out-of-touch swimming administrators, Horton’s long running crusade for clean sport will be put to the ultimate test if they race each other in the Japanese capital.

Horton beat Sun for the gold in the 400 metres freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympics after it was revealed Sun had secretly served a suspension for a doping violation in 2014, but finished second to his arch rival at the world titles, prompting complaints about why he was allowed to race when his case was still pending at the time.

Horton was allowed to keep his silver medal after making a silent protest but has been warned he could face expulsion if he does it again in Tokyo.

The men’s 400m freestyle final is scheduled to take place on 25 July.

Originally published as Sun Yang’s doping date set just eight weeks before Tokyo Olympics