A former pupil at a Perthshire school has been praised for taking a stand against a drug cheat athlete.
Swimmer Duncan Scott, who attended Strathallan School as a boy, refused to take to the podium after finishing joint third in the 200m freestyle at the World Championships in South Korea this week.
Duncan’s protest came after the race was won by Olympic champion Sun Yang of China.
There has been controversy over the Chinese athlete’s doping history.
He has already served a three month suspension in 2014 for taking a banned stimulant, which he claimed at the time was medication for a heart problem.
He is also accused of smashing a blood sample after a doping test last year, but was still allowed to compete in the World Championships.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is set to hear a doping case against Sun Yang in September.
This led to Duncan Scott snubbing Sun Yang at the race on Tuesday, July 23.
Sun Yang won the 200m freestyle race in 1:44.93.
Scott then congratulated silver medallist Katsuhiro Matsumoto of Japan, and Russian Malyutin who finished joint third with Duncan.
However, he completely blanked Sun on the medal podium and refused to take part in a group photo of the medal winners.
Sun Yang was seen to react angrily to the snub, shouting: “You’re a loser, I’m a winner”.
This is the second time a fellow swimmer has refused to share a podium with Sun Yang at this week’s World Championships.
After the Chinese athlete won the 400m freestyle, Australian swimmer Mack Horton labelled him a drugs cheat and refused to share the medal podium with him.
Horton was warned by FINA, swimming’s governing body, after the stunt.
Duncan’s actions have been backed by his teammateAdam Peaty, an Olympic gold medallist and multiple World, European and Commonwealth champion..
Peaty said Duncan was “completely right” to take action, adding Sun should consider his place in swimming.
Peaty added: “He should be asking himself now should he really be in sport when the people were booing him, but I know how they are and I know how he is.
“I think the most important thing as a sportsperson is you have the right to a voice and Duncan showed his voice and so did the crowd.
“If the fans aren’t wanting him [Sun] I don’t even know why he’s here.”
