Russia’s Olympic Committee has hit out at “Western propaganda” and “sore losers” after US swimmer Ryan Murphy implied the 200m backstroke final at Tokyo 2020 “wasn’t clean” after being beaten by Russian winner Evgeny Rylov.
Defending champ Murphy didn’t take kindly to Rylov taking gold in record Olympic time on Friday, and hinted the race was “not clean” in the following the press conference.
“It is what it is. I try not to get caught up in that. It is a huge mental drain on me to go throughout the year, that I am swimming in a race that’s probably not clean and that is what it is,” Murphy said.
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Deciding not to take any of the thinly-veiled accusations on their backs, despite the nature of the stroke, the ROC published a scathing series of tweets labelling the claims “propaganda” and urging certain counterparts to “learn how to lose”.
“Oh how our victories rile certain peers. Yes, we’re here, at the Olympic Games. Absolutely justifiably, whether you like it or not,” the Committee wrote on Twitter on Friday.
“You need to learn how to lose. Not everyone is able to. The old organ grinder again started playing the song about Russian doping.
англоязычной пропаганды, источая вербальный пот на Токийской жаре. Устами обиженных поражениями спортсменов. Утешать не станем. Простим тех, кто слабее. Бог им судья. А нам — помощник.#КомандаОКР#ROCTeam#Tokyo2020
— Olympic Russia (@Olympic_Russia) July 30, 2021
“Someone is earnestly winding the handle of Western propaganda, oozing verbal sweat in the Tokyo heat with the mouths of sore losers. We will not console them.
“Forgive those that are weaker. God is their judge. And for us – a helper.”
Rylov – like his compatriots at the Tokyo Games – is competing under the banner of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) due to WADA sanctions which were imposed after allegations of widespread doping offenses by Russia.
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Perhaps Murphy was a little irked at a second defeat by the 24-year-old in the space of a week, as Rylov had earlier clinched gold in the 100m backstroke, a race in which the American finished only third.
Rylov later confirmed Murphy had messaged him via Instagram to clarify any misunderstandings and essentially apologise after later claiming his intention was “not to make any allegations”, signalling there was no animosity between the two competitors.
