Asian Games: Heroes, Villains and Kim Jong-Un Leave Mark in Korea

If one athlete personified the good, the bad and the plain ludicrous of the Asian Games in South Korea, it was China's bad boy swimmer Sun Yang. (Medal Tally)

Failed doping tests, ham-fisted bureaucracy and judging scandals all reared their ugly head at the multisport event, the constant trickle of controversy providing a reminder of the fact that for every modern sports hero, a villain of the piece often lurks.

But Sun, who struts out for races in gold earphones, neatly encapsulated the topsy-turvy Asian Games by almost provoking a diplomatic incident before redeeming himself with a cheesy charm offensive.

The hulking Olympic champion, recently suspended after a road accident in his Porsche while driving without a license, called Japan's national anthem "ugly". He had to apologise two days later when damage control became necessary to avoid fallout. (Asian Games End With Enthralling Cultural Extravaganza)

Japanese swimmer Naoya Tomita got himself booted out of the games for stealing a journalist's camera.

Furious Japanese officials left him in the hands of local police and ordered him to pay his own way home. He eventually got away with a $950 dollar fine and fled.

Women's hammer thrower Zhang Wenxiu of China was one of six athletes to fail drugs tests at the games and one of two gold medallists, along with Malaysian wushu champion Tai Cheau Xuen.

Zhang said she was "shocked" that she could be suspected of deliberately taking an anabolic steroid widely used to fatten up cattle. Tai tested for a less serious stimulant but insisted to her team she had no knowledge of how it got there.

Sports federations were not immune from blame. In an event involving 9,500 athletes from 45 countries and territories, the decision to order female basketball players to remove their Islamic hijab headscarves sparked a storm and Qatar's ladies quit the tournament in protest.

Boxing judges also came under fire after several results went in favour of South Korean athletes despite taking a pummelling.

Indian boxer Sarita Devi was so upset at her semi-final was scored in favour of Park Ji-Na that she refused to accept her bronze medal and hung it around the Korean's neck.

Five-time former world boxing champion Mary Kom, a 31-year-old mother of three, restored India's pride by winning gold in the 48-51kg division.

North Korea left their mark, setting five world records in weightlifting while their women's football team also won gold. All thanked their 'Dear Leader' Kim Jong-Un for his warm love and wise instruction.

They were beaten in extra time by South Korea in the men's final, after which coach Yun Jong-Su stomped off the pitch shaking his fists and barking "it's not fair" in a typical football tantrum.

Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah declared the games a success despite the controversy and reported complaints by athletes about broken elevators, a lack of hot water and transport which frequently failed to turn up.

There were rows at the athletics too with Bahrain's Ruth Jebet farcically stripped of steeplechase gold as the 17-year-old was about to receive her medal, only to be restored as champion the next day after furious protests.

But spare a thought for South Korea's swim hero Park Tae-Hwan, the former Olympic champion who froze at a pool named after him but proved himself a class act.

Japanese swimming sensation Kosuke Hagino, who was named the games MVP after winning seven medals, including four golds, revealed that Park had given him a lift in his car when the bus failed to turn up to take athletes to the pool.

Anti-hero Sun had bet poster-boy Park that the loser in Incheon should buy the winner a barbecue meal.

Sun he displayed his soft side at the end of competition, bringing a birthday cake to the poolside for Park and smearing cream on his face in a public show of affection. It was that sort of games.