Duncan Scott Follows Horton’s Lead: Refuses Photos, Handshake with Sun Yang

2019 FINA WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Great Britain’s Duncan Scott followed the model set by Australian Mack Horton earlier in the meet, protesting Sun Yang on the podium of the men’s 200 free.

Sun (1:44.93) was awarded gold after initial winner Danas Rapsys was shockingly DQ’d after the race for movement on the blocks. Japan’s Katsuhiro Matsumoto took silver in 1:45.22, and Scott and Martin Malyutin of Russia ended up tying for the bronze in 1:45.63.

Unlike Horton, the 22-year-old Scott did get on the podium for the playing of the Chinese anthem. But Scott then refused to shake Sun’s hand and partake in a group picture with all the medalists after the podium ceremony.

Things appeared to get heated around the handshake incident:

Scott reportedly received a standing ovation from other athletes.

Sun was visibly unhappy with Scott’s actions and appeared to confront him further off the podium. From the broadcast, it looked as though Sun approached Scott and said something along the lines of, “You’re a loser. I’m a winner.” Watch the interaction below:

Horton, 23, received a “warning letter” from FINA after his protest on night one. Unlike Scott, Horton has a history of rivalry with Sun, going back to at least the Rio Games, when Horton called him a “drug cheat.”

At the time, Sun responded by accusing Horton of playing mind games to destabilize him. “I don’t think I need to explain myself any further. I have done what it takes to prove I’m clean … all athletes should be shown respect. On the competition stage, every athlete deserves to be respected and there’s no need to use these sorts of cheap tricks to affect each other.

Now, Sun is facing an upcoming CAS hearing in September regarding the World Anti-Doping Agency’s appeal case against FINA’s decision not to sanction the world record holder over his blood vial-smashing incident last September.

In response to Horton’s earlier protest, Sun said: “It’s okay to disrespect me, but disrespecting China is unfortunate.”

Following the protests, fans of the Chinese star – one of the most popular athletes in his nation’s history – overwhelmed Horton and Scott’s Instagram accounts, nearly instantly leaving thousands of comments (of varying levels of profanity) on recent pictures.

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dsp_man
4 years ago

For those who claimed Sun Yang cheated in this competition, show us your evidence ? Suspicions and paranoid don’t make a crime. Unless you come up with better argument or evidence you are just a bunch of cry baby. Let’s face it, Duncan Scott and Mack Horton could have protested before the competition, Instead, they staged the protest only after they lost. How convenient.

Sun Yang loves needles
4 years ago

Best meet ever!!!

Tyson
4 years ago

All this goes to show how corrupt FINA is I bet the only reason he wasn’t suspended before world champs is because of how close China is to South Korea. FINA know if they have him at the competition there more likely to bring over sun yangs supporters just to watch him race or get more online viewers where as if sun hangs not there all his spectators will attack FINA for suspending him and they’ll lose the money they could have got from him showing up. Because of all this innocent athletes like Mack Horton and Duncan Scott get punished.

XYsdf
Reply to  Tyson
4 years ago

That’s gross. Not sure if you understand procedural justice. Show the evidence before you accuse anybody guilty.

Tyson
Reply to  XYsdf
4 years ago

How is it fair on other athletes who could have medaled but they throw sun yang in who is known to have a past with questionable drug test. Why would you smash something containing your blood or decline to provide a urine sample unless your guilty and let’s not forget he made the testers wait an hour before he did this then accused them of being fakes!

XYsdf
Reply to  Tyson
4 years ago

Again, you’d better learn what is procedural justice. Sun smashed the sample because two testers are not certified. Why would he provide sample for irrelevant people. You guys keep being sour grape which is understandable since lots of white swimmers have a doping history and now a Chinese guy trained from AU win it all.

To sum up , Horton and Duncan are simply losers, from every perspective.

XYsdf
Reply to  Tyson
4 years ago

Again, you’d better learn what is procedural justice. Sun smashed the sample because two testers are not certified. Why would he provide sample for irrelevant people. You guys keep being sour grape which is understandable since lots of white swimmers have a doping history and now a Chinese guy trained from AU win it all.

To sum up , Horton and Duncan are simply losers, from every perspective.

Qiukai Huang
Reply to  Tyson
4 years ago

FINA’s report on Sun which clearly states that Sun didn’t violate the standard and people simple ignore it. But half of the US swim team are doping under TUE and they said it is following the rule and it is legal. Who’s rules? When the rules favor them then the rules are good, otherwise the rules should be dismissed.

Swimer
4 years ago

Sun Yang (on Mack Horton): It’s okay to disrespect me but RESPECT CHINA

Duncan Scott: *Respects China for the anthem but disrespects Sun Yang* (as he should)

Sun Yang: *triggered*

Seriously, beautifully, and geniusly, done by Duncan Scott. He made sure to target Sun Yang alone, with no interpretation that he was disrespecting China

Texas Tap Water
Reply to  Swimer
4 years ago

I mean, Horton did respect the flag raising. He just wasn’t standing on the podium.

It’s stupid to accuse Horton not respecting China when Australian flag was also raised during medal ceremony.

Kristiina
4 years ago

Very sad Phelps is now retired. He fight clean sport and learn own errors just like Dsentelmen. Now bad ime in swimming

Kristiina
4 years ago

Very sad Michael Phelps is retired. He was concrete man this questions and learn own errors. No doping.. Now anarhic in swimming.

Spectatorn
4 years ago

Is FINA going to put all 3 of them in detention after all the swimming events, and have them write “I won’t pull stun on FINA ceremony podium again”, 10000 times.
Who wins this one? LOL

Texas Tap Water
Reply to  Spectatorn
4 years ago

Sun Yang will win this easy.

He’d just smash… Sorry.. rip apart any writing done by Horton and Scott

specatorn
Reply to  Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

LOL

Pete
4 years ago

The bodies I am seeing on these swimmers Peatty included????
Come on what’s up.
Reminds me of when the East German women came to Concord.
The science of getting big is big science.
Half these guys look like football linebackers.
Is it weightlifting and cutting edge pre cursor meds?
Anyone agree?
I’m not defending and hopefully not offending but this is animal science.

Usausausa
Reply to  Pete
4 years ago

They’re really not that big. Nowhere near football players. Bigger than they used to be certainly, but nothing unnatural. Team GB and a handful of other guys seem to have gotten over the fear of being too big

About Torrey Hart

Torrey Hart

Torrey is from Oakland, CA, and majored in media studies and American studies at Claremont McKenna College, where she swam distance freestyle for the Claremont-Mudd-Scripps team. Outside of SwimSwam, she has bylines at Sports Illustrated, Yahoo Sports, SB Nation, and The Student Life newspaper.

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