July 21, 2019

SUNDAY 21 JULY 2019 SPORT 21 We meet on Monday and at the moment I feel good. I will keep bowling and we will monitor CYCLING ATHLETICS England’s paceman it. If it comes to Wednesday and I’m fit to play TOUR DE FRANCE DIAMOND LEAGUE James Anderson then great, but if not I will work towards being Stage 15 from Limoux to Muller Anniversary Games fit for the Ashes. ACTION Foix Prat d’Albis at London Stadium, London TODAY’S Adam Peaty in action in this file photo. Sun demands ‘open’ hearing in doping case AFP BEIJING Under-fire swimming superstar Sun Yang has asked for a public hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport, Chinese state media reported yesterday, where he will mount a defence against explosive doping allegations. Sun is one of the biggest names in the sport, the only swimmer to capture Olympic gold over 200, 400 and 1,500 metres, but has been plagued by scandal throughout his career. A leaked report by swimming’s world body FINA claimed Sun, the sport’s pantomime villain, destroyed his own blood samples with a hammer last September. FINA cleared Sun to compete but the World Anti-Doping Win or lose, Peaty stands to Agency (WADA) has appealed the decision at the Lausanne- based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which will hold hearings in September, with the swimmer’s career on the line. Sun’s lawyers released a statement on Friday demanding a public hearing “to be fully transparent and to clear his gain at World Championships name”, China’s official Xinhua news agency reported. The explosive contents of the FINA report were pub- REUTERS immune to losing, no athlete is Unbeaten in the 100 metres that “magic 57”, or at least break lished by Australia’s Sunday Telegraph, and Sun’s lawyers GWANGJU, SOUTH KOREA immune to losing.” at major championships over his own world record of 57.10. accused the newspaper of publishing “an incomplete and After winning both the 50 and the last five years, and with “I know it’s very, very possible biased account of the drug testing on Sun Yang” and of Losing is not something Adam 100 at the last two world cham- the 14 fastest times ever but I need to be in the right frame defaming the swimmer, Xinhua said. Peaty does, or thinks about, very pionships, it would be safe to say of mind, I need to have the right Sun and a security guard are said to have smashed vials often but even if the Olympic Peaty has a target on his back but swam in the event, there will body, everything has to go almost of blood collected after independent testers visited the ath- breaststroke champion comes up he feels no added burden in being be few stronger favourites perfect,” he added. lete’s villa in Zhejiang province last September, according short at the World Swimming the one to beat. than the 24-year-old Briton in “But I think I’ve got to the to the leaked report. Championships in South Korea it “The greatest athletes lose and Gwangju. point where even if it doesn’t I can “Sun Yang objects to being tried by the Australian press is unlikely to dent his confidence sometimes they come back even almost get near it.” by journalists who cherry-picked through FINA’s judgment, one little bit. stronger so... if I don’t get the best With the 50 not on the Olympic inciting adverseadverse andand damagingdamaging reactions fromfrom third-partiesthird-parties Unbeaten in the 100 metres out of me for whatever reason, been. It has been like that for the programme, the Briton had toyed on the internet,”nternet,” hishis lawyerslawyers hashas said.said. at major championships over the it’ll just annoy me and make me last five years.” with the idea of swimming the 200 The decision to allow Sun to last five years, and with the 14 work 10 times harder. But it is competition time in Tokyo but has since ruled that competee at the World SwimmingSwimming fastest times ever swam in the “I don’t really get caught up when Peaty comes into his own. out to focus on “pushing the Championshipsonships in South Korea event, there will be few stronger with the pressure, I don’t get “I think it was Mike Tyson boundaries in the 100”. had raiseded eyebrows,eyebrows, with some favourites than the 24-year-old caught up with this kind of status who said, ‘The closer I get to the Peaty also says that while top swimmersmmers like LillyLilly KingKing of Briton in Gwangju. that I’ve got to uphold.” ring I’m a god’, and that kind of records, medals and titles are the USA criticisincriticisingg FINA for it.it. Peaty, who also holds the While winning has become really sticks into the thinking important, he needs to keep If WADAWADA win their appeal, world record in the 50 but suf- second nature to Peaty he still behind what I do,” he said. himself grounded in what made and Sun isis foundfound guiltyguilty ofof a dopingdoping fered his first defeat in four years trains like he is chasing someone, “So the closer I get to a world him get into competitive violation,n, hehe couldcould faceface a llifetimeifetime in the event at last year’s Com- pushing himself that bit harder to championships, or the closer I get swimming in the first place. ban afterer serving a three-monththree-month monwealth Games, says every catch a faster, imagined, rival. to an Olympics, that’s when my “When you go into a world suspensionion in 2014 fforor tatakingking a race makes him stronger -- win “When I’m training I like to strength really comes mentally championships it can get very bannedd stimulantstimulant hehe or lose. train like I’m in second. So when and you almost have to turn it off.” tense, very hostile,” he said. claimed was forfor a “I think a lot of athletes fear you’re in second obviously you Peaty rarely talks these days “But at the same time I’ve got heartt failure,” he said in a conference doubt yourself and that’s almost about his ‘Project 56’ -- his bid to to remember why I started it, and problem.m. call ahead of the championships. like a key thing to my motivation,” become the first man to break 57 that was just because I loved “But I’ve failed before, I’ve got he said. seconds for the 100 -- but he is racing. I love winning and I don’t Sun Yang beat in the t e 50 before. be o e. I’mIm not ot “And that’s how its always no less determined to get under want to take that fun out of it.” Grand Slam board rejects Tomic’s appeal REUTERS devalued. The board, however, Tomic lost his first Bernard “I don’t care about this 25 Houston LONDON refused to overturn their round match 6-2, Tomic percent; I care about the right Rockets’ original decision and heavily 6-1, 6-4 to France’s thing for players in the future,” James Australian Bernard Tomic’s criticised Tomic’s attitude to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga he told the newspaper. Harden appeal to overturn a fine for tennis. at Wimbledon and This year’s tournament not playing to ‘required profes- “A review of your historical was fined his entire was not the first time Tomic sional standards’ at record of misconduct at Grand winnings of £45,000 has run afoul of tennis Wimbledon earlier this month Slams, never mind elsewhere, ($56,241) after officialdom. has been denied in a stinging provides little justification for He was nicknamed ‘Tomic organisers ruled he rebuke by the Grand Slam an adjustment,” board director the Tank Engine’ after accu- board. Bill Babcock wrote in the had put in minimal sations he ‘tanked’ -- or failed Harden to skip Tomic lost his first round decision letter that was pub- effort in the to try his best -- in a loss to match 6-2, 6-1, 6-4 to France’s lished by the New York Times. 58-minute defeat. Andy Roddick at the 2012 US Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at Wim- “In your case, Bernard, I Open. FIBA World Cup bledon and was fined his entire am sure you would agree there Tomic also said after his winnings of £45,000 ($56,241) is no historical evidence to give first round loss at Wimbledon AGENCIES after organisers ruled he had comfort to the theory that you in 2017 that he was ‘bored’ LOS ANGELES put in minimal effort in the can reform your behaviour.” “Admittedly, I am sceptical “Good luck and I hope to during the match. 58-minute defeat. Babcock added that if that you can achieve this be pleasantly surprised in the He has also been periodi- Houston Rockets star James Harden is The 26-year-old Tomic Tomic goes without a sanction reform of Grand Slam on-court future by your successful cally suspended from Aus- opting out of the basketball World Cup in appealed the decision, citing in his next eight Grand Slam behaviour,” Babcock added. reform.” tralia’s Davis Cup team over China, the Houston Chronicle reported on the fact he was unwell before events then he would be “Many others, no doubt, would Tomic, however, said he the last five years for what Friday. the match, while Tsonga added refunded 25 percent of the be even more than just would appeal the decision Tennis Australia have called Harden, speaking at a charity event, that he felt his victory had been fine.

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