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RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's Olympic swimming team has demanded an apology from Australian gold medallist Mack Horton after his "malicious personal attack" on rival Sun Yang.
Horton described Sun as a "drug cheat" last week and refused to retract the comments after defeating his rival in the 400m freestyle final at the Rio 2016 Games on Saturday.
"We have been noticing what has been said in the past two days by Horton, who launched a malicious personal attack [on Chinese swimmers]," Chinese swim team manager Xu Qi said on Sunday.
"We think his inappropriate words greatly hurt the feelings between Chinese and Australian swimmers. It is proof of a lack of good manners and upbringing. We strongly demand an apology from this swimmer."
Sun, who won gold in the 400m freestyle and 1500m freestyle at the London 2012 Olympics, served a three-month ban in 2014 after testing positive to a banned substance.
The 24-year-old said he unwittingly took the drug as part of treatment for a chronic heart problem.
After winning the gold medal race on Saturday, Horton said: "I used the words drug cheat because he tested positive. He's one of the athletes here who has tested positive."
The Australian's comments prompted a heated response on social media, where many Chinese fans describing the remarks as unjustified. \
Related:
IOC to check into Aussie Horton's comment on Chinese rival
by Ma Xiangfei
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said it will look into the unfriendly comment Australian swimmer Mack Horton made on Chinese rival Sun Yang before it gave any comment.
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams said on Sunday that he did not konw the incident until reporters told him that Horton called defending 400m freestyle champion Sun a "drug cheat" before and after the men's 400m freestyle final at the Rio Olympic Games. Full story
Australia's Horton upsets China's Sun to win men's 400m freestyle gold
RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 6 (Xinhua) -- Mack Horton clinched Australia's first gold medal of the Rio Olympics by upsetting favorite Sun Yang of China in the men's 400m freestyle final on Saturday.
Horton clocked 3 minutes 41.55 seconds, eclipsing Sun by just 13 hundredths of a second at the Olympic Aquatics stadium. Gabriele Detti of Italy was third in 3:43.49. Full story
