Those watching the World Swimming Championships on Sunday watched an awkward moment play out when Australian swimmer Mack Horton refused to share the podium with Chinese rival Sun Yang, who won gold in the 400m freestyle.
Not only did Horton refuse to stand on the podium with Yang, but he declined the offer to shake hands or pose in photos with him, reigniting an ongoing feud.
In 2014, Yang served a three-month suspension for testing positive for a banned drug he claimed was for a heart complaint. Fast-forward to the 2016 Rio Olympics and Horton accused Yang of deliberately splashing him during training. He later told the media, “He just kind of splashed me but I ignored him because I don’t have time or respect for drug cheats.”
It’s not the first time Yang has faced cheating allegations, either. Earlier this year, reports surfaced that the swimmer had smashed a vial of blood with a hammer during a doping test at his home in China. The 10-time world champ will face the Court of Arbitration for Sport at a hearing in September over the events, and faces a lifetime ban if he is found guilty.
Following Horton’s public snub on Sunday, Yang told reporters, “Disrespecting me was okay, but disrespecting China was unfortunate…I feel sorry about that.” Chinese swim team manager Xu Qi has since demanded an apology from Horton, claiming Mack Horton’s words “greatly hurt feelings between Chinese and Australian swimmers.”
Despite the initial backlash, when Horton returned to the athletes village following the event he was reportedly met with a “thundering ovation,” and has also received plenty of support on social media from fellow swimmers and fans.
There’s no denying that Horton’s diss was a bold and admirable statement against cheating, but it hasn’t come without criticism. Richard Ings, the CEO of Australian Sports Anti Doping Authority tweeted, “I am no fan of Sun Yang. But he has served his suspension for a doping violation and he has been cleared by a FINA panel of refusing to provide a sample. Innocent unless proven guilty. Not standing on the podium with him should attract a hefty penalty.”
A “hefty penalty” seems excessive, but with investigations into Yang’s cheating allegations in full swing, it’s a shame Horton was forced to make a statement deemed “disrespectful” by competitors.
Speaking to 3AW, Mack Horton’s father Andrew said his son was “frustrated and disappointed, as so many athletes are, that this issue has tagged along into world championships.”
“It’s not a commentary about China, we have huge respect for China,” Mr. Horton said. “This is about ensuring that there are systems and processes in the sport that keep the sport clean.” This is something we can all agree on.
Will justice prevail? We will just have to wait and see.