Is Sun Yang really one of ‘world’s most hated athletes’?

Spanish newspaper Marca includes China’s star swimmer alongside Nick Kyrgios, Neymar Jnr, Diego Costa and Floyd Mayweather Jnr
China’s star swimmer, who is waiting on a new CAS hearing ahead of Tokyo 2020, has long been a controversial figure

Sun Yang

Jonathan White

Published: 1:43pm, 31 Jan 2021

Why you can trust SCMP

Chinese swimming star Sun Yang is one of the 14 most hated athletes in world sport according to Spanish sports newspaper Marca, who have included the three-time Olympic champion in their list of the “World’s Most Hated Athletes”.

Sun, an 11-time world champion, has long proved to be a controversial figure in the sport with several spats with his fellow swimmers, notably Mack Horton of Australia.

Their dispute dates back to the Rio 2016 Olympics, which came after Sun had served a drugs ban in secret in China in 2014. It reached a peak at the 2019 World Championships in South Korea, where Horton refused to share a podium with Sun.

The Chinese swimmer was allowed to compete at the meet as he was awaiting his public CAS hearing later that year, which fuelled criticism.

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Chinese swimmer Sun Yang gets 8-year ban for doping offences

The 29-year-old is currently waiting on a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport after he won his appeal with the Swiss Supreme Court to overturn the eight-year ban that had effectively ended his career. That decision was made based on the anti-Chinese tweets of the president of the panel.

Sun was criticised by the panel for his behaviour at the original hearing in November 2019, which stemmed back to a disputed doping test at his home in September 2018.

‘What a baby’: tide turns on Sun Yang after Chinese fans see CAS report

While the swimmer had been vociferously backed by his fans ahead of the original CAS verdict last February several apologised to Australian swimmer Horton for their treatment of him and his family.

The list, which was published midweek in response to Barcelona football Jordi Alba claiming to be one of the most hated players in Spain.

“Jordi Alba said recently that he is one of the most hated footballers in Spain, so we have had a look at some of the most disliked athletes on the planet,” they wrote as the opening slide of a slide show that begins with Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios.

The slide show, which is not numbered, continues with Spanish footballer Diego Costa, boxer Floyd Mayweather Jnr and South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter (and convicted murderer) Oscar Pistorius.

Paris St-Germain and Brazil footballer Neymar Jnr, NBA star Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors and Formula 1 driver Nikita Mazepin follow ahead of Barcelona’s Alba.

US sprinter Justin Gatlin, former Real Madrid footballer Pepe, golfer Patrick Reed and cyclist Dylan Groenewegen appear ahead of Sun, while Italian footballer Mario Balotelli rounds out the list.

‘I can’t go lower than zero’ – CAS lawyer ranks Sun Yang’s performance

While Marca argue that Sun is among the most hated athletes in the world, he is not one that they often write about. In the last six years there are only 55 articles containing “Sun Yang” on the Marca website.

Alba’, who undoubtedly enjoys a smaller global profile than many of the others included alongside him, explained that while he thinks he is one of the most hated, he understands why.

“It‘s clear that people know me for football, I think I’m one of the most hated players in football, I know,” Alba told El Dia Despues on Movistar+ in midweek before the Marca slide show.

Swim fans think new CAS ban will see Sun Yang miss Tokyo 2020

“It’s my way of playing and that’s made me the player I am today and put me where I am now. Then people get to know me and know what I’m like, a very humble person and I value everything in my life.

“Jordi the player is nothing like Jordi the human or Jordi with his teammates. It’s true that I’m very annoying in my way of playing and I understand the hate that people who don’t know me give me.”

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