Sun Yang presents at the CAS hearing in Montreux, Switzerland on Nov. 15, 2019. (Xinhua/Liu Qu)
A Chinese anti-doping expert has said that athletes will not refuse to take doping tests if the Doping Control Officers (DCO) have proper credentials.
Han Zhaoqi, a doctor and professor from Zhejiang College of Sports, testified at Friday's Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) public hearing here as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed against Chinese Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang and FINA over FINA's previous decision in favor of Sun on his alleged anti-doping rule violations.
"Athletes will not refuse to take doping tests as long as they can confirm that the DCOs are authorized and have proper credentials," said Han.
Han gave suggestions to Sun's doctor Ba Zhen on the night of September 4 last year when the three-time Olympic champion refused to complete a test conducted by the international testing company IDTM.
"What China does is to truly uphold WADA's World Anti-Doping Code," he added.
"I can't call the vials of blood they took as doping test samples because they were taken by people who were not properly credited and authorized," said Han.
"I take anti-doping lectures every year at China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA). And I know that CHINADA issues DCO credential to each and every DCO in China," he said.
Sun, the first Chinese man to win an Olympic swimming gold, said in his testimony that he was familiar with CHINADA's high level of doping control process.
"China's doping control has a really high standard. I take training in this area and they (Chinese DCOs) will show me their credentials," said Sun during a hearing which was marred by poor translations.
Then he said he didn't see names on relevant documents when he refused to finish the test conducted by IDTM which was delegated by FINA.
"I only saw FINA's authorization letter. Although my English is not good enough for me to understand everything on the letter, I did not see my name on it," said Sun.
"Neither did I see names of the three testing personnel on the letter. In my opinion, they should carry with them a clear document with their names on it in order to conduct a test on me," he said.
Sun said he knew that the Doping Control Officer (DCO) was from IDTM because "I made a complaint about the DCO in 2017 when the tester failed to show an authorized document."
Earlier, Sun explained why he stopped cooperating in the doping test as he considered the Doping Control Assistant's behavior unprofessional.
"He took out his cellphone and started to film me. He said he was a fan of mine and liked me a lot. This was ridiculous. That's why I started to be suspicious," Sun said.
IDTM testing coordinator Tudor Popa said it was the DCO who gives doping control training to his or her assistants.
Tudor Popa said they offer the Doping Control Officers doping control "education" while the latter will give trainings to their assistants.
Before the hearing started, Sun told Xinhua that he intended for all who are following the case to know the truth.
"I want the world to know what happened on the night of September 4, 2018 to prove my innocence. I also want to call on international sports organizations in public to protect the basic rights of athletes," Sun said.
Attended by around 200 people, Friday's hearing is only the second one held public in the history of CAS. WADA appealed against Sun and FINA as the latter announced on Jan. 3, 2019 that the swimmer was not guilty of anti-doping rule violation.
The hearing will be concluded at 8:30pm on Friday and the CAS Panel will deliberate and prepare for an Arbitral Award setting out its decision on a later date.
Sun Yang won gold in 200m freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and 400m and 1,500m freestyle at 2012 Olympics in London. The 27-year-old also claimed 200m and 400m freestyle titles at the 2019 FINA World Championships in Gwangju, South Korea.
