Horton Responds To Sun Sentence: “My Stance Has Always Been About Clean Sport”

Just over two days after Chinese superstar Sun Yang was handed an eight-year period of ineligibility from the Court of Arbitration for Sport, rival Mack Horton has broken his silence on the matter.

Horton’s name has consistently been coming up since the Sun verdict was delivered, as the Australian has long been one of the most vocal athletes against allowing athletes convicted of doping, specifically Sun, to compete.

Speaking to Australia’s 7NEWS, Horton didn’t take shots at Sun, and instead spoke about how, no matter what the call was, he continues to fully support clean sport.

“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,” said the 2016 Olympic gold medalist.

“It goes on,” he said, after being asked if he was relieved. “I’m just a guy still chasing the dream… we’ve got a job to do this morning and we’ll just keep going.”

The two athletes have a long history, dating back to the 2016 Olympics when Sun splashed Horton during a warm-up session prior to the start of the competition. “He splashed me to say ‘Hi’ and I ignored him because I don’t have time for drug cheats,” Horton would go on to tell the media.

On the first day of those Olympics, Horton won gold in the men’s 400 freestyle, with Sun in second, and the Aussie was quoted as saying: “Definitely a win for the good guys. Don’t know if it was a rivalry between me and him, just me and an athlete who has tested positive I guess” post-race.

The two would continue to butt heads at the 2019 World Championships last summer, first needing to be separated during a warm-up, and then, after Sun won gold and Horton silver in the 400 free, the Aussie refused to share the podium with him.

Sun’s ineligibility sentencing stems from an incident at a September 2018 out-of-competition anti-doping test, where he challenged the authority and credentials of the doping control agents. He ended up smashing a vial of his blood, and was found guilty of having tampered with the doping control process.

Sun has since said he plans to appeal to the Swiss Federal Supreme Court.

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Eisenheim
4 years ago

Sun Yang will win his appeal and will swim in Tokyo. Side note: Mack Horton is a joke.

Robbos
Reply to  Eisenheim
4 years ago

WHY????

ERVINFORTHEWIN
Reply to  Eisenheim
4 years ago

Trolls like trolling ….

flutterfree
4 years ago

Why is Horton mentioned at all or vindicated? From what I can tell his stance is just a zero-tolerance policy, right? AKA if you fail any test of any nature you shouldn’t be allowed to compete ever again. Which means Ryan Lochte, Madysin Cox, Amanda Kendall, Matt Willenbring, Jessica Hardy, Will Licon, Conor Dwyer, etc. should all be either banned for life or someone in their events should be protesting their participation for the rest of their careers (those that still exist).

Or is it only bad when it’s someone from China?

Robbos
Reply to  flutterfree
4 years ago

People only protested against Sun Yang because he was accused of smashing the blood tests, of wish he was later found guilty, but was still allowed to swim. This was the protest, most of the others were not allowed to swim, while under investigation.

Goggles123
Reply to  Robbos
4 years ago

He wasn’t under investigation at Worlds. The FINA independent panel cleared him of any rule’s violations earlier in the year. It was the WADA appeal to CAS to overturn this that took a long time. A step that didn’t happen in most of these other cases.

Texas Tap Water
4 years ago

Horton is vindicated.

I can’t believe the toxic poison that many people in this swim site were thrown at Horton.

USAUSAUSA
4 years ago

I wish that he said “you hate to see it”

H1H2
4 years ago

I think Mack has really managed the situation so we’ll. In a few years I reckon that he will be seen as a hero of Australian and world sport.

Robbos
Reply to  H1H2
4 years ago

Unfortunately, there are some in China, who cannot accept the truth, would not agree!!!!!

swimfast
Reply to  H1H2
4 years ago

from shirley babashoff’s “personal section” on wikipedia: “ Babashoff was occasionally referred to as “Surly Shirley” and described as a “sore loser” by the media because of her public accusations of drug cheating by the East German swimmers”

later in the section: “ On April 30, 2005, Babashoff received the Olympic Order, the highest award of the Olympic Movement, during the Inaugural Olympic Assembly luncheon. International Olympic Committee members Bob Ctvrtlik, Anita DeFrantz, and Jim Easton presented the award. The IOC established the Olympic Order in 1974 to honor individuals who have illustrated the Olympic Ideals through their actions, have achieved remarkable merit in the sporting world, or have rendered outstanding services to the Olympic cause, either through their own… Read more »

The perfect high elbow
4 years ago

I like how Mack breaths so close to the water. You almost never see his mouth from a side angle. Looks like he just leaves his right eye out of the water most of the times

torchbearer
Reply to  The perfect high elbow
4 years ago

I cant master that skill!

Anonymoose
Reply to  torchbearer
4 years ago

Then your whole body position must probably be higher/ is the problem

Sun Yangs Hammer
4 years ago

Sun Yang is gonna be in Tokyo

and watch from the stands

Kristiina
4 years ago

You are strong man and correctly behavoir.

About James Sutherland

James Sutherland

James swam five years at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, specializing in the 200 free, back and IM. He finished up his collegiate swimming career in 2018, graduating with a bachelor's degree in economics. In 2019 he completed his graduate degree in sports journalism. Prior to going to Laurentian, James swam …

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