Chinese Olympic swimming champion's ban extended

China's sports authorities have suspended double Olympic swimming champion Sun Yang from  competition, national team training and commercial activities, reports said Wednesday, after he was given seven days' detention for driving without a licence. The move by the General Administration of Sport's swimming agency broadens an indefinite competition suspension by Sun's sports college. Sun became a huge star in China after winning the 400m and 1500m freestyle golds at London 2012, and took three titles at the world championships earlier this year. But he was found not to have a licence after a white Porsche Cayenne he was driving was rear-ended by a bus in the eastern city of Hangzhou on Sunday. National sports authorities announced they had suspended Sun indefinitely from domestic and international competition, training with the national team, and any team social or commercial activities, the People's Daily Online reported. "Sun Yang ignored laws of the country and recently seriously violated the rules of his team several times," it quoted a statement by the swimming agency as saying. "He violated the basic principles of morality and went against the spirit of sport, seriously damaging the image of the national swimming team and Chinese athletes." The punishment was meant to "educate and redeem" the 21-year-old, warn other athletes, and "put into practice that everyone is equal before the law", it added. Sun was fined 2,000 yuan ($330) by Hangzhou police, according to Chinese media reports, and sentenced to seven days' "administrative detention", a punishment meted out without a trial to those declared by police to be guilty of minor offences. Sun is held in a separate room from other inmates in the detention house to avoid "unnecessary troubles", and can read books, do exercises and watch TV, according to reports. His food is also cooked separately to prevent any risk of exposure to substances banned in sports, they added. Sun was previously embroiled in controversy after his long-time coach Zhu Zhigen told him to end his relationship with an air hostess. The two fell out over the issue, and Sun was accused of lacking respect for his mentor. Driving rules and traffic laws are widely flouted in China, where violations of the rules of the road by the rich or powerful are particularly sensitive. Source: AFP