As 2023 draws to a close, the spotlight in the swimming world revolves around whether 32-year-old Chinese swimming legend Sun Yang can return to the pool at Paris 2024. However, a recent announcement from the Chinese Swimming Association can be said to have directly announced the shattering of Sun Yang's Paris dream.
The Chinese Swimming Association officially announced the "2024 Paris Olympics Swimming Event Selection Measures" on the 22nd, and the sharp regulations made Sun Yang's Olympic hopes unable to cross the stumbling block of the ban period. Under the new rules, athletes who have been banned for more than one year for doping violations will not be eligible for the national team, let alone a ticket to the Paris Olympics.
However, what stung Sun Yang even more was the prank of time. The drums of war for the domestic trials are about to beat and are scheduled to be held in Shenzhen from April 19 to 27, 2024. However, Sun Yang's ban was lifted on April 30, three days later. This seemingly delicate time arrangement actually made Sun Yang pass by the domestic selection competition, which can be called a fatal attack.
Although the Chinese Swimming Association's principle of athletes who have been banned for more than one year to participate in the Olympics was a special case in the Rio Olympics, for Sun Yang, this time it seems iron-faced and selfless. He was banned for 4 years and 3 months, exceeding the prescribed limit, making him the absolute protagonist of the absence of Paris.
Although Sun Yang claimed to have been training in the past few months, he was unable to perform at the trials at the crucial moment of sharpening his gun, which also made the former Chinese swimming star lose out of the Olympic door in embarrassment.
Looking back on Sun Yang's career, he was the pride of the Chinese swimming team, winning many Olympic and World Championships gold medals. However, the shadow of the ban has always hung over him, and this time it was the end of his Olympic journey to Paris.
Although Sun Yang expressed his love for swimming on social ** and kept training, the fact that his Olympic dream was shattered was in front of everyone. For the 32-year-old, there may be some racing options, but the Paris Olympics have become an untouchable distant dream for him. The pinnacle of an era may have come to an end in the shadow of a ban.