BEIJING (AP) — Swimming officials from Australia and China are jumping into the fray as a feud over doping between swimmers Mack Horton and Sun Yang keeps boiling over at the Rio Olympics.
The Chinese Swimming Association on Monday asked Horton to apologize for his "inappropriate words" after he labeled Sun a "drug cheat" — a reference to Sun's three-month 2014 suspension over banned heart medication. Australia's Olympic Committee, hours later, shot back in Horton's defense, saying he was speaking his mind in support of clean athletes, and wished him luck.
Horton, 20, made a dig at Sun while the two attended a press conference Saturday after Horton unseated the Chinese defending champion in the 400-meter freestyle.