HORTON HEARS A HOO-RAY!
AUSSIE swimmer Mack Horton has received global support after refusing to take the podium next to gold medalist Sun Yang after winning silver in the 400m at the World Aquatics Championships.
SUN Yang has dramatically raised the stakes in his feud with Mack Horton by threatening to turn their fallout at the world swimming championships into an international incident.
Sun was left fuming when Horton refused to share the podium with him after he beat the Australian to the gold medal in the 400m freestyle and has accused him of disrespecting all of China.
“I was aware that the Australian athlete had dissatisfaction and personal feelings towards me,” Sun said.
“But it was unfortunate because disrespecting me is OK but disrespecting China was very unfortunate and I felt sorry about that.”
China and Australia engaged in a bitter war of words three years ago when Horton called Sun a drug cheat during the Rio Olympics after he’d secretly served a three-month suspension after testing positive to a banned stimulant.
Horton received thousands of hateful messages from Sun’s fanatical supporters while the Chinese swimming federation and state run media demanded an apology from Australia.
And now the gloves are off again after Horton’s extraordinary silent protest at the medal ceremony, which follows revelations Sun escaped punishment after destroying one of his own doping samples last year before it could be tested for drugs.
The doping panel that investigated Sun cleared him of any wrongdoing but the World Anti-Doping Agency has lodged an appeal that will be heard in September.
British Olympic champion Adam Peaty and American Rio gold medallist Lily King have questioned why Sun is being allowed to compete at the world championships and Australia’s swimmers said they stood in solidarity with Horton.
“I support clean sport and I support swimmers standing up for their beliefs,” said Australian sprint queen Cate Campbell, who has a vocal campaigner for tougher sanctions against athletes who break the rules.
“I think that Mack did an incredible job and we’ll take it as a win for Australia.”
Australian head coach Jacco Verhaeren said none of the Dolphins had any idea that Horton was going to protest but said he had the full backing of everyone in the team.”