While the U.S. and Russia have been entangled in the controversy surrounding Lilly King and Yulia Efimova, the Chinese and Australian swimming teams have been in a nasty feud of their own regarding doping.
The argument is between Australian swimmer Mack Horton and Chinese swimmer Sun Yang. The two swimmers competed against each other in the 400-meter freestyle on Saturday. While winning the gold medal and dethroning Yang, Horton has taken a few shots at his competition. Horton called Yang a “drug cheat,” sparking outrage from a number of different entities in China.
Horton made the comments this past weekend in an attempt to upset Sun. And like King, Horton’s tactics paid off. The Australian swimmer won after making his comments. These comments go back to 2014, when Yang secretly served a three-month suspension for violating drug policy. But despite Sun’s past, Chinese fans have continued to support Sun and went after Horton following his victory in the 400.
@_mackhorton Your pathetic "victory" is built on calumny, ignorance and smear! SHAME ON U!!!! #apologizetosunyang
— Zoe Zhang (@ZoeZhan29540874) August 7, 2016
https://twitter.com/JenseShaw/status/763033018319589376
Even the Chinese media has gone on the attack against Horton. A newspaper close to the Chinese government released a scathing op-ed going after Horton and Australia.
The Global Times newspaper, which is close to the ruling Communist Party, published an op-ed under a pen name associated with its chief editor blasting Horton’s “cynical smugness”.
It said Australia should feel embarrassed by the swimmer’s “disgraceful” victory.
“In many serious essays written by Westerners, Australia is mentioned as a country at the fringes of civilisation.”
It went on, referencing Australia’s “early history as Britain’s offshore prison”.
“This suggests that no one should be surprised at uncivilised acts emanating from the country,” it concluded.
Besides expressing strong opinions, Chinese journalists have directly confronted Horton.
Angry Chinese journalists confronted Horton in Rio to ask why he had used such terminology, and the Australian did not mince his words.
“I used the word drugs cheat because he tested positive,” replied Horton, setting the tone for an explosive press conference and prompting Chinese officials to demand an apology.
Thus far, Australia is standing firm and not giving an apology to China.
”Australian swimming won’t be apologizing and the Australian Olympic Committee won’t be apologizing. Mack had every right to express that opinion,” she (Australian delegation head Kitty Chiller) told reporters after a day in the pool dominated by doping controversy.
”He has strong opinions on the need for clean sport as do each and every one of us and that’s what that statement was about.”
This doping argument might be more interesting than King’s for the sole fact that the Chinese have responded so strongly, despite Yang’s guilty past. And much like King and Efimova’s controversy, these two swimmers will be able to duke it out in the pool once again. On Friday, Horton and Yang will be competing against each other in the 1,500-meter race. All eyes will be on these two feuding swimmers.
