The family of Australian Olympic swimmer Mack Horton has reportedly been targeted online following his protest against Chinese rival Sun Yang at the World Aquatics Championships in South Korea. Horton refused to share the podium with Sun after finishing second in the 400m freestyle on Sunday, reigniting a long-standing feud over doping allegations.
Horton, who accused Sun of being a 'drug cheat' in 2016, declined to shake hands or pose for photos with the Chinese swimmer. Sun, who won gold, responded by saying, 'Disrespecting me was OK, but disrespecting China was unfortunate.' The comment has drawn attention to the intense nationalistic backlash Horton faced from Chinese fans in 2016, when his social media accounts were flooded with abuse.
Sun served a three-month suspension in 2014 for testing positive for a banned stimulant, which he attributed to a heart condition. He now faces a fresh hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in September after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed a decision to clear him of a separate doping offence. Reports allege he avoided a ban by destroying blood samples, which he denies.
Horton's protest has drawn support from other swimming figures, including former teammate David McKeon, who tweeted: 'Absolutely awesome to see @_mackhorton protesting clean sport by not getting up on the podium next to Sun Yang.' The Australian Olympic Committee previously defended Horton's right to express his views, stating he was 'entitled to express a point of view' in support of clean athletes.
