Sun pays for driving with no license
Print Edition
Chinese Olympic swimming sensation Sun Yang, who is also the brand ambassador for a South Korean car, was yesterday sentenced to a week in administrative detention and fined 2,000 yuan (US$328) for driving without a licence in Hangzhou.
Sun escaped unhurt after his car was involved in a road accident in the eastern city on Sunday afternoon.
A public transport bus No. 990 rear-ended Sun’s Porsche SUV. While the bus driver was at fault for the accident, people were surprised to find the Chinese pool champion at the wheels.
The issue became a hot topic online after Hangzhou traffic police discovered that Sun did not have a driver’s license.
“After looking into the system, we did not find any record of his license. Sun admitted he did not have one,” police told Xinhua news agency.
Interestingly, Sun has been endorsing Beijing Hyundai since December 2012, four months after scooping glory at the 2012 London Olympic Games.
He became the first Chinese male swimmer to win an Olympic gold in the 1,500- and 400-meter freestyle events. He also won three gold medals at the world swimming championships.
At the time when he was promoting the South Korean brand in 2012, Sun told the media: “I can drive but I don’t have a license.”
But he has been driving cars in the TV ads. And netizens were quick to question if he violated traffic rules.
Sun has also been photographed driving cars and his air hostess girlfriend had confirmed it on her Weibo account. But the posts have since been deleted, the Zhejiang Online website reported.
Sun said yesterday the luxury SUV Porsche Cayenne he was driving was borrowed from a relative. The 21-year-old apologized on his Weibo blog, saying his lack of understanding of the law was because he was too busy with swimming, an argument that also did not go down too well with people.
Weak knowledge of law
“I should have been a role model as an athlete and a public figure but I failed in my responsibility,” Sun wrote. “I am deeply sorry for what I have done and will reflect on my behavior. Because I have been focusing on training and competition, I have weak knowledge of the law, which led to the mistake.”
But Xinhua criticized him for his lack of sincerity. “It is the most basic rule that you do not drive without a license. His explanations will not convince many people,” Xinhua said.
A Weibo user claimed that Sun was driving his girlfriend from the hospital when the accident occurred. “My wife did an electrocardiography on her,” the netizen said, adding that the young woman with Sun was the same as the one who was blamed for the row between the swimmer and his coach before the Olympics.
Zhang Yadong, deputy director of Zhejiang College of Sports, who was called to assist in the police investigation, said Sun was training at the college.
“Since he was endorsing a car brand, police presumed he had a license,” Zhang told the China Central TV Station.
“He always told us he had one. We had no idea that he did not have a license,” Zhang said.
The college also issued a statement saying it will “totally support and respect the punishment against Sun.”
Xinhua reported that the college had decided to punish Sun by banning him from all competitions, trainings and commercial activities. The officials told the news agency that the punishments had nothing to do with his detention, but due to a series of violations after the 2013 China National Games in September.
The college had given the Zhejiang national swimming team a break after the competition, but Sun did not show up on the designated return date. He did not ask for leave, nor did he inform the college about his whereabouts, Xinhua said.
Sun reportedly went on a holiday to Thailand from October 11-15. The college insisted he should have reported the trip and sought permission first.
Sun has always been surrounded by controversies. He was censured after a row with his coach for missing training because of commercial obligations and spending time with his air hostess girlfriend.
He was docked a month’s stipend, suspended from commercial endorsements and forced to make a public apology.
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