BEIJING, China, March 19. SUN Yang’s fortunes appear to be reversing after a troublesome past five months, as the Chinese swimming federation has lifted the ban prohibiting the double Olympic champion from official training and competition.
After serving seven days in jail in November for driving without a license, Sun was slapped with an indefinite ban by the Chinese swimming federation and the Zheijang College of Sports. Both organizations lifted that ban today according to the Xinhua news agency, allowing Sun to return to his normal swimming responsibilities.
“The national team welcomes Sun,” said Shang Xiutang, deputy head of the Chinese Swimming Administrative Center in the Xinhua article. “We always hope he can realize his mistake and come back. We hope he can do better in the future.”
Sun will be looking to represent China at the Asian Games this fall, viewed as a meet of equal importance to the Olympic Games. It is likely that Sun’s status as the top distance swimmer in the world will not exempt him from participating in the Asian Games selection meet set for May, so Sun will have to work to return to form in time. That could be hampered by a foot injury a couple of months ago that has Sun still undergoing rehabilitation.