China, Australia spar over doping cheat attack

China and Australia wrangled over doping accusations Monday as Russia's Yuliya Efimova targeted an Olympic swimming medal to celebrate her latest victory over a drug ban.
Swimming action dominated the Games after Michael Phelps extended his overall record of gold medals to 19 with a US relay victory on Sunday.
But comments by Australia's new 400 metre freestyle champion Mack Horton against his rival Sun Yang unleashed a wave of Chinese fury.
Thousands of social media users demanded that Horton apologise for calling Sun a "drug cheat". Sun, a huge hero in China, served a three month suspension in 2014 for taking a banned stimulant.

The state-run Global Times newspaper called Australia "a country on the fringes of civilization" and a former "offshore prison" for Britain.
The International Olympic Committee sought to calm the tensions, calling for "respect fellow competitors".

"Clearly we want to encourage freedom of speech," said IOC spokesman Mark Adams.
"But on the other hand of course the Olympics is about respecting others and respecting the right of others to compete," he added.
"There is a line somewhere there, and each case is different of course, where people should be free to compete in tranquility."
China's flag at the Games also caused an outcry. The four small, golden stars on the Chinese emblem are pointing upwards rather than towards the bigger star. Social media again erupted and Rio organisers said the flags would be replaced.

Swimming Boos
Russia's Efimova, 24, who has served two doping bans, was given a last-minute reprieve to get into the Olympics after appealling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Having become a symbol of Russia's fight against the doping storm facing the country, Efimova is aiming for a medal in the 100m breakstroke on Monday.
She was booed when she won her semi-final on Sunday and later acknowledged she has had "a crazy 18 months".
But Efimova declared herself "happy to be here and ready for the competition.