One of two Doping Control Assistants (DCAs) involved in the attempted collection of a sample from Sun Yang on 4 September 2018 has revealed that he is a construction worker, and has not received any anti-doping training. “I am a builder and I am always busy a work, day and night”, the DCA told Xinhua on condition of anonymity. “No one ever trained me about the doping test”.

The State news agency reports that the DCA was contacted by the Doping Control Officer (DCO) employed by Swedish company International Doping Tests and Management (IDTM), an ex classmate. It is understood that the DCA was asked to assist by the DCO because she and the Blood Collection Assistant (BCA) were female, and uncomfortable with their requirement to witness Sun’s urine test. Could this be why Huangfen Lin, the BCA involved in the case, was not present at the international swimming federation’s (FINA) hearing into Sun’s case and refused to answer questions?

The DCA told Xinhua that he had attempted to take pictures of Sun, which had prompted the swimmer to request identification from all three involved in the sample collection process. Sun spotted that the DCA was not an accredited tester and already knew the DCO from a previous ‘unhappy interaction’ with her during a 2017 testing mission, records the FINA decision (PDF below). It also records that Huangfen, the BCA, did not present suitable documentation proving that she was qualified to draw blood. This led to a sequence of events resulting in Sun’s samples being destroyed.

Last week, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) held a public hearing into Sun’s case. Video coverage of Part One of the hearing is available here; Part Two is available here; Part Three is available here; and Part Four available here. Background information on the case is available here. The CAS has yet to announce when a final Decision will be published.