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Sun Yang says 'facts distorted' in murky doping test

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Sun Yang (Getty Images)
Sun Yang (Getty Images)

Shanghai - China's triple Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang on Tuesday described as "intolerable" the speculation surrounding him ahead of a Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) hearing into a murky missed drugs test.

The 27-year-old's career is in jeopardy after he was accused of smashing a blood vial with a hammer during an out-of-competition dope test last year.

FINA agreed with Sun that testers failed to produce adequate identification or follow protocol, but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) responded by taking the case to CAS.

"Misguided public opinion has distorted the facts," Sun, a hero to millions in China but derided as a "drugs cheat" by some of his rivals, wrote on social media.

"My training and my personal life have been greatly disturbed by this and it’s become intolerable."

Sun, a controversial character, was allowed to compete in the World Championships in South Korea in July, winning two golds but also becoming a focus of protests from other swimmers.

Writing on the Twitter-like Weibo, Sun said that he was looking forward to giving his account of what happened during the now-infamous doping test.

"There is something I can’t say, I can't make the truth public," he added on Weibo.

"But fortunately the surveillance cameras have recorded everything, otherwise I won’t be able to defend myself against irresponsible accusations."

A CAS hearing was originally scheduled for September, but is now unlikely to be before the end of October, CAS said earlier this month.

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