(Gwangju Swimming) FINA adds new rule to discourage podium protests

GWANGJU, July 25 (Yonhap) -- In response to protests by athletes during medal ceremonies at the ongoing swimming world championships, the sport's international governing body has added a new rule meant to discourage similar action in the future. FINA has attached a new article to its Code of Conduct, approved on Tuesday in Gwangju, the South Korean host of the 18th FINA World Championships. The move came after Duncan Scott of Britain, a co-bronze medalist, refused to shake hands and share the podium with Chinese gold medalist Sun Yang at the medal ceremony for the men's 200m freestyle. Sun is facing allegations that he destroyed vials of his blood sample last year. FINA nevertheless cleared him to compete in South Korea, a decision that has drawn the ire of several swimmers here. The new article under FINA's Code of Conduct is titled "Rules of Conduct During the Competition." It states: "The competitors shall actively participate in the full conduct of the competition including victory ceremonies and, if applicable, presentations and/or press conferences. They shall strictly avoid any offensive or improper behavior towards the officials, the other competitors, the team members and/or the spectators during the entire conduct of the competition." Scott was following an example set two days earlier by Mack Horton of Australia, who also kept his distance from Sun during the men's 400m freestyle medal ceremony. Horton took silver behind Sun in that event. Both Horton and Scott were warned by FINA. Sun, who screamed at Scott after getting shunned at the ceremony, was also reprimanded. Other swimmers have spoken out in support of Horton and Scott. Horton drew cheers from fellow swimmers when he returned to the athletes' village after the ceremony. Adam Peaty, Scott's British teammate, said, "There shouldn't be any warning shots fired at them for having freedom of speech." jeeho@yna.co.kr (END)