Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser has joined in the growing condemnation of Chinese star Sun Yang, saying he should not be competing at the world championships and criticising his reaction to the latest podium protest.
“If I had been there, I would have kicked him in the backside,” triple Olympic 100-metres freestyle champion Fraser said on Wednesday after footage emerged of the Chinese champion smirking and calling a competitor a “loser”.
The ugly incident followed Briton Duncan Scott becoming the second swimmer to refuse to shake hands with Sun on the podium at the world championships in South Korea, following Australian Mack Horton’s protest on Sunday.
On Tuesday night, Scott won the 200-metre freestyle bronze. Sun was awarded the gold after finishing second to Lithuanian Danas Rapsys, who was dramatically disqualified from first place because of a false start.
“You loser,” Sun told Scott as the athletes made their way off the podium.
“I’m winning, yes!”
Scott did not react during the tense confrontation.
Sun Yang to Duncan Scott: "You're a loser. I'm a winner." pic.twitter.com/W1AhD6XekV
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) July 23, 2019
Sun had already reacted wildly to Rapsys’ disqualification, sitting on the lane rope and raising his arms in celebration to a mix of boos and cheers as a devastated Rapsys was leaving the pool.
But Fraser said on Wednesday she thought Sun – who is under a drugs cloud – shouldn’t be competing in South Korea.
“He’s got a Court of Arbitration [of Sport] hearing in September and I feel that [swimming’s world governing body] FINA should have stepped him down until that court case is over,” she said.
“If he’s proven not guilty that’s fine, he can come back to swimming.
‘We want a clean sport … FINA have got to get off their backsides and do something about it.”
Sun, who served a secret three month doping ban in 2014, faces a lifetime suspension if found guilty in September.
Horton and Swimming Australia have had warning letters from FINA following his refusal to shake Sun’s hand or take the podium on Sunday after the 400-metre freestyle final in Gwangju.
It is not yet known what action FINA might take against Scott. But his manager, Rob Woodhouse, told Melbourne radio 3AW on Wednesday that Sun’s outburst was no surprise – and he was proud of the swimmer.
“Obviously Sun Yang was angry about Duncan’s stance but Duncan was very dignified in his process and how he went about it and just ignored Sun Yang’s antics,” he said.
“I am proud of him, and I believe most Britons are.”
Fraser said she also backed Horton’s actions on Sunday.
”He just didn’t get on the podium to be with a drug cheat and I support that,” Fraser said.
Support for Horton also came from Australia’s 2012 Olympic 100-metre hurdles champion Sally Pearson on Wednesday.
“For him to take that stand, I salute him. I don’t think many athletes would have the courage to do that,” Pearson told Fox Sports.
-with AAP
The post ‘I would have kicked him in the backside’: Olympic champ slams Chinese swimmer appeared first on The New Daily.
**Business and Marketing support on best price; Hit the link now----> http://bit.ly/2HsQmSi