Chinese media turns microscope on Australia’s history after Mack Horton comments

CHINA just won’t back down. State-run media has again slammed Australia as a “second-class citizen” who should be “ashamed” of Mack Horton.

Australia's Mack Horton (C) holds the Australian flag as he pose next to Sun Yang (R).

CHINESE state-run media blasted Australian swimmer Mack Horton as immoral and his nation as a former “offshore prison” Monday, after he referred to homegrown star Sun Yang as a drugs cheat.

And they were at it again on Tuesday. The Global Times newspaper, which is also close to the ruling Communist party, published an op-ed slamming Australia’s support of Horton in the wake of his comments following his gold medal swim on Sunday (AEST).

“Australia’s aberrant response is confusing not only to the Chinese, but also to many other Westerners. How come the Australians are not ashamed of Horton’s personal attacks, but are shamelessly climbing to the moral high ground in this case?” the piece said.

“Australia has always been a ‘second-class citizen’ in the West, and many people from Western Europe, especially the UK, feel condescension toward Australians.

“Eager to be completely accepted by the Western world and afraid of being overlooked, Australia has grown docile and obedient in face of the US and the UK.

“However, in front of Asian countries, it cannot help but effuse its white supremacy. The tangle of inferiority and superiority has numerous reflections in Australia’s foreign exchanges.

“Horton and his backers represent the dark side of Australian society.”

Burn.

Horton dethroned Sun as the 400 metres freestyle Olympic champion at the weekend, prompting the Chinese athlete to break down in tears.

Before the confrontation in the pool, Horton was asked how he felt about doping violators Sun and South Korean Park Tae-Hwan competing at the Games, and responded: “I don’t have time or respect for drug cheats.”

Sun is a popular hero in China, despite his repeated brushes with controversy - which include serving a drugs suspension in secret in 2014 - and the comments lit up nationalistic sentiment online and in print.

The Global Times’ chief editor then blasted Horton’s “cynical smugness”.

Australia should feel embarrassed by the swimmer’s “disgraceful” victory, it said.

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“In many serious essays written by Westerners, Australia is mentioned as a country at the fringes of civilisation,” it went on, referencing its “early history as Britain’s offshore prison”.

“This suggests that no one should be surprised at uncivilised acts emanating from the country,” it concluded.

Angry Chinese journalists confronted Horton in Rio to ask why he had used such terminology, and the Australian did not mince his words.

“I used the word ‘drugs cheat’ because he tested positive,” replied Horton, setting the tone for an explosive press conference and prompting Chinese officials to demand an apology.

Thousands of social media users also demanded Horton say sorry, posting with the hashtag #SunYangDontCry on China’s Twitter-like Weibo service after footage of Sun sobbing uncontrollably in the media zone went viral.

It seems the hatchet hasn’t quite been buried between Mack Horton (R) and Sun Yang (L). Picture. Phil Hillyard.

“For the peaceful co-existence of China and Australia, I hereby wish Horton to win swimming titles at the next Paralympics,” one user wrote, blasting the Australian as “mentally handicapped”.

But Australian media staunchly defended the defiant Horton. The front page of Sydney’s Daily Telegraph Monday led with the headline “Clean Machine” over an image of the swimmer and his gold medal, adding that “our superman shows world how to smash drug cheats”.

Today's front page @dailytelegraph pic.twitter.com/h9Sx79bavI

— The Daily Telegraph (@dailytelegraph) August 7, 2016

The Australian Olympic Committee also stood by the gold medallist, saying in a statement: “He has spoken out in support of clean athletes. This is something he feels strongly about and good luck to him.”

Sun’s three-month doping ban in 2014 - for taking a banned stimulant he said was for a heart complaint - was only announced after he had completed it.

He returned to the pool Sunday to post the quickest time in the 200m freestyle heats, and refused to take the criticism lying down, growling:

“I’m clean. I’ve proved I’m clean. I don’t think we need to concern ourselves with the Australian’s mind tricks.”