'Sun Yang is just the drug cheat': Aussie Mack Horton slams Chinese rival after getting the ultimate revenge and beating him to win Rio gold... and urges other athletes to 'name and shame' dopers 

Australian swimming hero Mack Horton launched a scathing attack on the Chinese champion he defeated to win gold in Rio and urged other Olympic athletes to name drug cheats in their sport.

The stirring win in the 400m freestyle came just hours after Horton said he had no respect for his Chinese rival Sun Yang, who he labelled a 'drug cheat.' 

The newly crowned champion didn't shy away from his comments and later told reporters he had no regrets about calling out Yang.

'I don't think it is a big statement because it is true, he has tested positive,' he said.

'No athlete has really come forward and said it. It wouldn't have felt right if I raced against someone who had tested positive and didn't bring it up. Hopefully others will follow.'

Yang served a three-month doping ban in secret in 2014 and news of the suspension was announced retrospectively by China officials.

Horton said he had been planned the attack on Yang after reading Swimming Australia president John Bertrand's account of his famous 1983 America's Cup yachting triumph.

'It was something I thought of beforehand. It was taking a leaf out of John Bertrand's book ....(in 1983) he just referred to it (US) as the 'red boat'.

'He kind of desensitised from it. Sun Yang is just the drug cheat.'

Horton tried to play down a personal rivalry with Yang but clearly there was no love lost. 

Yang reportedly tried to 'taunt' Horton in the Rio training pool by splashing water in on him last week.

The 20-year-old gold medalist launched a surprise chip at the controversial world champion when asked about the training incident.

'It got played up a bit but he splashed me to say hi and I ignored him, I don't have time or respect for drug cheats,' Olympic debutant Horton said.

'He wasn't too happy about that so he kept splashing me and I just got in and did my thing.' 

After beating the Chinese swimmer by a very narrow margin, Horton said it wasn't Yang he had an issue with, but drug cheats in general.

'Definitely a win for the good guys,' he said in a post race interview.

'I don't know if it's a rivalry between me and him, just me and athletes who have tested positive.' 

Horton clocked three minutes, 41.55 seconds to claim the 400m title ahead of defending champion Yang, who swam a time of 3:41.68. 

The 20-year-old is the first Australian since Ian Thorpe in 2004 to win the Olympic 400m freestyle crown. 

'Welcome to the Australian 400m Olympic Champion Club! Well done mate!!' Thorpe tweeted.

Australian head coach Jacco Verhaeren threw his weight behind Horton's bold stance against drug cheats.

'To be honest everyone thinks the same way,' he said.

'As a swimming organisation we have zero tolerance to drugs. It's the same as saying we don't like drug cheats. 

'He made a statement not in words but also performance which is fantastic.' 

霍頓無端攻擊孫揚引風波 中國泳協要求其向孫楊道歉

中新網里約熱內盧8月7日電(記者 高凱)近幾日澳大利亞游泳運動員霍頓對中國選手孫楊進行了人身攻擊，引發風波。中國游泳協會7日正式向澳大利亞游泳協會發送了抗議郵件，要求霍頓向孫楊道歉。

　　6日，霍頓在男子400米自由泳預賽後接受澳媒採訪時稱，孫楊在訓練中向他問好，但他選擇忽視，因為他不想同“嗑藥騙子”打招呼。

　　霍頓當晚在400米自由泳決賽中以微弱優勢奪冠，他在新聞發布會上再次表示，自己確實稱孫楊是“嗑藥騙子”，“他確實曾經呈陽性”，並表示不想跟尿檢呈陽性的人同場競技。

　　孫楊曾於2014年5月被宣布藥檢不合格，這是一次誤服事件，是因為孫楊幾年來不時出現心肌缺血情況，一直使用“萬爽力”(鹽酸曲美他嗪)改善症狀。而正是該藥物中所含曲美他嗪最終導致孫楊藥檢呈陽性。世界反興奮劑機構最終認定孫楊在這次事件中沒有完全盡到注意的義務，對陽性發生有過失，但並非重大過失、疏忽。

　　對於霍頓的言論，孫楊在發布會上表示，“每一位能夠來到奧運會的選手都應該得到尊重。”

　　霍頓對孫揚的無端指責引發軒然大波，眾多中國網友要求霍頓向孫楊道歉。

　　中國游泳協會於里約當地時間7日上午給澳泳協發出正式抗議郵件，表示：“我們關注到這兩天澳大利亞游泳運動員霍頓惡意進行人身攻擊的惡劣言行，我們認為他的不當言論極大損害了中澳游泳的感情，有損澳大利亞運動員的形象，是一種缺乏素質和教養的表現。我們強烈要求該運動員做出道歉！”

　　前來里約採訪奧運會的一些外媒7日也將報道焦點對準此事，中國游泳隊科研組組長陸一帆被追訪時再次詳細解釋了孫楊誤服事件，並表示，“我不了解霍頓的想法，但是任何人不應該在不了解具體事實的情況下對他人進行不負責任的攻擊”。

AOC backs Mack Horton in drug cheat controversy

The West Australian on August 8, 2016, 8:19 am

The Australian Olympics Committee has defended Australian swimming gold medalist Mack Horton over his comments about Chinese rival Sun Yang’s use of performance-enhancing drugs.

The AOC's defence of Horton comes as the Chinese Olympic team consider an official complaint against the athlete.

China's Yang reportedly tried to "taunt" Horton in the Rio training pool earlier this week, leading to Horton's surprise chip at the controversial world champion when asked about it.

"It got played up a bit but he splashed me to say hi and I ignored him, I don't have time or respect for drug cheats," Olympic debutant Horton said.

"He wasn't too happy about that so he kept splashing me and I just got in and did my thing."

Moments after taking gold over silver medallist Yang, Horton fiercely stood by his comments in the post-race press conference.

"I used the words drug cheat because he tested positive," Horton said after the race.

"He's one of the athletes here who has tested positive."

Queried about Horton’s comments, the AOC said Mack was entitled to express a point of view.

“Under the Team Values (ASPIRE), the ‘E’ stands for express yourself - that is his (Mack’s) right,” the AOC said in a statement.

“He has spoken out in support of clean athletes.

“This is something he feels strongly about and good luck to him"

Supporters of Yang have urged Horton to apologise for his comments, leaving shocking messages across the Aussie's social media accounts.

"Loser", "Snake", "Ugly", "You make me sick" are just some of the abuse hurled at Australia's newest Olympic champion.

"Although you have to the gold medal, but no matter how much you get the piece because of your character you will always be a loser at least respect you should have! Please apologize to Sun Yang! [sic]," one user said.

"You lost the spirit of the Olympic Games. And you are not qualified to be an athlete.

Your comments represent your country obviously you have no idea about it. To insult, attack another athlete on your unreasonable imagination, you suck [sic]," wrote another support of Yang.

"Please apologize to sun. Your country will be ashamed of you. Do you want to play psychological warfare? [sic]" said another.

Rio 2016: Gold medal winner Mack Horton trolled online after calling out 'drug cheat' Sun Yang

Mack Horton has become the target of online trolls just hours after taking the gold medal in the men's 400 metres freestyle final over comments he made calling Chinese runner up Sun Yang out as a "drug cheat".

Horton delivered Australia its first gold medal of the Games, swimming his race to perfection to out-touch the defending Olympic champion.

There had been bad blood brewing between Horton and Yang in the build-up to the final, after the Chinese swimmer splashed water in the face of the Victorian during a training session at the Olympic aquatic centre earlier in the week.

At the time Horton said Yang "splashed me to say hello, and I didn't respond because I don't have time for drug cheats".

Yang served a three-month suspension in 2014 after testing positive to a banned substance.

After the race, Horton said he "didn't have a choice" but to beat Yang.

"The last 50 metres I was thinking about what I said and what would happen if he gets me here," he said.

"I used the words drug cheat because he tested positive ... I just have a problem with athletes who have tested positive and are still competing."

Yang defended himself after the race, insisting he had nothing to hide.

"I don't care too much what the Australian athlete says ... I'm clean; I've done everything it takes to prove I'm clean," he said.

But Chinese fans have taken the grudge match into their own hands, attacking Horton on his various social media accounts using the hashtag #apologizetosunyan.

"Your parents and whole country should be shame [sic] on what you've said," one user wrote on Instagram.

Another wrote: "You even won the match, but you are still a loser, you don't deserve to have an Olympic gold medal."

Many other spammed Horton's accounts with snake emojis.

Horton has not responded to the comments on his social media accounts.

力挺孫楊！中國網友攻陷霍頓社交平台：滿嘴噴糞

鳳凰體育訊 北京時間今天上午，澳大利亞選手霍頓在擊敗孫楊後，多次諷刺孫楊有涉藥歷史，並將矛頭直指孫楊，但因為這些過激言論，他的個人社交平台也遭到眾多中國網友攻陷。

在霍頓的個人INS下，評論區已經被憤怒的泳迷占領，網友都在指責他贏了比賽但輸了人品。很多英語留言譴責他不尊重對手，要求他向孫楊道歉。

中國網友攻陷霍頓社交平台

澳洲"領獎台計劃"奏效 曾成功切斷孫楊外教關係

當失去最有把握的男子400米自由泳決賽金牌後，孫楊6日深夜在奧運游泳賽場的混合區，緊緊擁抱相熟的記者並留下男兒熱淚。

戰勝孫楊奪得冠軍的，是澳大利亞19歲小將霍頓，他和孫楊在碧波池上演了一場世界級的較量。按理說，冠軍拿到手總要展現些許風度，可霍頓賽前賽後接連出言不遜，嘲諷孫楊為“磕藥的騙子（drug　cheat）”。霍頓奪冠後，部分澳大利亞媒體集體式狂歡並挑事，高呼霍頓戰勝“嗑藥的騙子”。

冠軍都拿到了，為何澳大利亞游泳選手和媒體依舊死盯着孫楊不放？

澳泳將奪金後展現粗魯一面

賽後的新聞發布會氣氛非常詭異。

一名中國女記者，因為憤怒而聲音顫抖地向霍頓提問：“你在預賽後採訪中，形容孫楊為‘磕藥的人’，還用了‘騙子’這樣的詞語，請問這真的是你說的嗎？最起碼的尊重在哪裡？”孫楊因為發布會遲到，並不知曉這一幕。

霍頓對此並未迴避：“我是這麼說的，因為他的藥檢確實是陽性。”一位中國男記者追問，兩人的關係看起來很緊張，為何就不能成為朋友呢？霍頓表示：“我不知道這算不算我和孫楊之間的敵意，我是對於興奮劑檢測呈陽性的運動員有意見，不是針對孫楊。”

賽前的預賽，霍頓就對孫楊採取挑釁態度，澳大利亞媒體對此比較縱容，“孫楊是個服用禁藥的騙子。我不知道這場比賽能不能算得上是我和他的競爭，可能只能說是我和一個服用過禁藥的人的競爭吧。”

賽後的發布會上，霍頓也沒有和孫楊進行任何交流。更讓人瞠目結舌的是，由於記者的問題都拋給了名氣更大的孫楊，霍頓可能覺得受到冷落了，竟連招呼都不打直接起身離開，如此粗魯和無理讓人大跌眼鏡。

澳媒體偏頗報道推波助瀾

按理說，霍頓拿到金牌後，完全可以採取更為友好的態度，為何這名19歲的小將如此咄咄逼人？只能說，他還“太年輕”，在澳大利亞媒體對孫楊刻意污名化的氛圍中，在澳大利亞游泳界對中國游泳團隊的技術屏蔽戰術中，霍頓只是被利用的“炮筒”。

澳大利亞游泳選手和媒體如此不待見孫楊，是因為他在倫敦奧運會上的精彩表現，和澳大利亞游泳界的萎靡形成了鮮明對比。這一年，以孫楊為代表的中國游泳軍團在倫敦奧運狂攬5金10牌，從2008年的獎牌榜第七躍居第二。與此同時，向來以“游泳王國”自詡的澳大利亞卻在倫敦慘遭滑鐵盧，僅收穫一金，獎牌榜排名亦從第二跌落至第七。“是什麼在短短四年製造了這一巨大顛覆？因為中國的頂級運動員在澳大利亞的泳池，跟從我們的教練訓練！中國兩大游泳明星孫楊和葉詩文，他們師從的正是我們的頂級教練丹尼斯-考特瑞（DenisCotterrell）和肯-伍（KenWood）”。

2014年孫楊在全國賽出現涉藥門，這件事被世界泳壇中那些嫉妒孫楊的人和他們背後的境外媒體抓住不放。2014年開始，澳媒體不斷地用“drug　cheat”污衊孫楊，即便他僅是“誤服”的事情已被世界反興奮劑組織所認可，並因此決定不再處罰他。

更不應忽視的是，他所誤服的“曲美他嗪”，雖然在2014年剛被列為禁藥，可在2015年卻又被解禁了，成為可以被運動員服用的心臟代謝藥物了。

針對孫楊的“領獎台計劃”奏效

為避免倫敦慘敗重現里約，澳大利亞游泳協會推出著名的“領獎台計劃”：與澳籍高水平教練員簽訂協議，與全澳11家頂級俱樂部簽訂領獎台協議，通過提供獎金、薪水和援助的方式激勵後者訓練本國運動員。對教練和游泳俱樂部來說，簽了這份協議就有錢拿，但拿了這筆錢就不能培訓“外國人”。

澳大利亞游泳協會更兇狠的第二招，是抓住孫楊誤服興奮劑的把柄，2014年11月22日孫楊誤服心臟病藥物的“涉藥門”曝光，短短數天內澳泳協就為孫楊量身定製了“新政”：“任何有過藥檢呈陽性的運動員，將不被允許進入與澳泳協簽有領獎台計劃的澳大利亞游泳俱樂部的泳池，不得接受澳泳協簽約教練的指導。所有進入澳大利亞境內訓練的外國運動員必須接受國際反興奮劑組織的飛行藥檢並為此自行支付費用。”這一補刀，直接割斷了孫楊與其王牌外教丹尼斯的師徒關係，丹尼斯只能無奈割捨愛徒。