SUN YANG was in the middle of controversy at the world swimming championships in Gwangju, South Korea, again. Only this time, it wasn’t his doing.

The Chinese star was still shunned on the podium again.

Sun won the 200-metre freestyle yesterday after Danas Rapsys of Lithuania finished first and got disqualified for an apparent false start.

Sun touched second, but was elevated after Rapsys had already celebrated in the pool.

Sun appeared surprised, clasping his hands to his face, but quickly sat on the lane rope and raised both arms in the air as a mix of cheers and boos rang out.

Katsuhiro Matsumoto of Japan took silver. Martin Malyutin of Russia and Duncan Scott of Britain tied for bronze.

On the podium, Scott wanted no part of sharing the moment with Sun.

Scott kept his hands clasped behind his back and refused to shake Sun’s hand, standing off on his own while the other medallists joined Sun to pose for photographers.

Sun, who served a three-month doping ban in 2014, is being allowed to compete in Gwangju ahead of a Court of Arbitration in Sport hearing in September which threatens Sun’s career.

Sun has been accused of smashing vials of his blood with a hammer during a clash last year with testers, and faces a lifetime ban if found guilty.

“He does quite a good job of making sure everyone continues to know about it,” Scott said, referring to Sun’s pending doping case. “So I guess that’s all I’ve got to say about that.”

Sun spread his arms apart and looked at Scott as the Brit turned to come off the podium. Sun and the other two medallists stopped for photographers on the pool deck, but Scott kept on walking.

There was a mix of boos and cheers from Chinese fans in the crowd at Nambu University Municipal Aquatics Centre.

“If people are booing him it’s for a reason,” British swimmer Adam Peaty said of Sun. “He should be asking himself now should he really be in a sport when people are booing him?”

Peaty said Scott’s action was “completely right.”

“The most important thing as a sportsperson is you have a right to a voice,” Peaty said. “Duncan shared his voice and so did the crowd, so it’s completely fair.”

After Sun won the 400 free, silver medallist Mack Horton of Australia refused to step on the podium or acknowledge Sun during the medals ceremony. FINA, swimming’s governing body, sent warning letters to Swimming Australia and Horton for his actions.

Sun, the current Olympic champion in the 200 freestyle, earned his third straight medal in the event at worlds and second gold in a row.

He was timed in 1 minute, 44.93 seconds.