Mack Horton doubles down after Sun Yang’s eight-year swimming ban
A smiling and seemingly relaxed Mack Horton has doubled down on his Sun Yang stance, one day after the Chinese drug cheat was banned from swimming for eight years. Here’s what Mack had to say.
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A smiling and seemingly relaxed Mack Horton has touched down in his hometown of Melbourne, the day after being vindicated for his tough stance against Chinese drug cheat, Sun Yang.
On arrival from Adelaide, Horton told the Sunday Herald Sun his anti-doping position remained as strong as ever.
“My stance has always been for clean sport not about individuals or
nations. Last night’s result doesn’t change my stance,” he said.
“It’s just another day. I’m keen to get ready for Tokyo (Olympic Games).”
Horton said he had enjoyed the past week “training with the relay boys.”
“They are some of the best freestylers in Australia so it’s been good, pushing each other for the week and getting some hard work in.”
Asked if he had received support from the international sporting community in the hours since Chinese swimming champion Sun Yang was banned from competition for eight years, or had received any backlash, he told the Sunday Herald Sun: “I don’t really pay attention (to that stuff) to be honest.”
Horton also declined to comment to the furore which erupted last week over his old school, Caulfield Grammar, reportedly being reluctant to name its new aquatic centre after him, to protect its Chinese interests.
This silence comes as pressure towards Caulfield Grammar School continues to mount as to whether it name its new pool after Horton, a former student.
It has been reported Caulfield Grammar decided not to name its $25 million aquatic centre after alumni Horton — an Olympic gold medallist — to protect its lucrative relationship with China.
The school has a campus in Nanjing, China, and charges hefty fees for international students.
But principal Ashleigh Martin released a statement last week saying the school had not snubbed Horton to curry favour with China.
He said it had not officially started the process for naming the pool and had not even decided if it would be called after an individual.
Mr Martin said he had been in contact with the Horton family and reinforced the school’s “pride, respect and admiration for Mack, both as an Olympic swimmer and as a Caulfield Grammarian”.
Horton’s social media has been spammed by trolls, and he also reportedly received death threats following the Sun Yang ban announcement on Friday night.
Former Caulfield Grammar students and community members have taken to the school’s Facebook page to say the pool should definitely be named in honour of former student, Horton.
“Regardless of whether the decision was pending and pulled, or never on the table.
An amazing facility named after a Caulfield grammarian and Olympic champion in the modern day is a great connection for our current students and the past,” Michael Townsend wrote.
“We shouldn’t wait until Mack or others are 60 years old plus to honour them, but rather acknowledge when the opportunity presents … in light of the ruling by CAS upholding WADA’s appeal today resulting in the ban of Sun Yang, we should not only be proud of Mack’s sporting ability but the guts he showed standing up and speaking out for what was right.”
Another former student, Nathen Whetstone, wrote: “As an old boy I look forward to the day that this amazing facility is named the Mack Horton Aquatic Centre.
“Named after a fellow Grammarian who should be celebrated for their achievements in the pool and for having the courage to stand up for their beliefs against drugs in sport.”
Speaking earlier after the ruling against Sun Yang, Horton said: “I think, regardless of the outcome, it was always going to be a statement to the world, and my stance has always been about clean sport never about nations or individuals.”
Sun Yang, who is idolised in China, was accused of refusing to provide blood and urine samples when drug testers visited his home in China in September 2018.
He has vowed to appeal the ruling.
“This is unfair. I firmly believe in my innocence,” he told China’s Xinhua news agency. “I will definitely appeal to let more people know the truth.”
The Sunday Herald Sun has contacted Caulfield Grammar for comment.
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