Inmates complain vegetarian diet thanks to Sun Yang

Winner Sun Yang of China reacts after the men's 800m freestyle final during the World Swimming Championships at the Sant Jordi arena in Barcelona July 31, 2013.[Photo/Xinhua]

(ECNS) -- Hangzhou Detention House in East China's Zhejiang province has adopted a vegetarian menu since China's Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang was detained there for a week after driving without a license, Xinhuanet.com reported.

A man at the door of the detention house who said he had been there for a few days said they were usually served cooked rice and fried vegetables with meat, but since Sun came, no meat had been served.

He said that according to staffers, the Olympic champion would not eat meat there for fear of endangering his health, and they were not allowed to serve Sun different food from other detainees.

Many detainees hoped Sun could be released sooner, the man said.

Sun, who was involved in a minor collision with a bus on Nov. 3, was found to be driving without a license.

A throng of media personnel was waiting at the gate of the detention house since early Monday, the day of Sun's release, but no one spotted him.

Chen Hongyan, deputy chief of the detention house, said that Sun left about 8:30 a.m.