‘I never said the Brits were cheating’: Meares
Australian cycling great Anna Meares has moved to clarify her comments about another Olympics of British track cycling domination.
Anna Meares is embraced by Lee Wai Sze of Hong Kong, who defeated her in the women's cycling sprint. Photo: Pavel Golovkin, AAP.
The Australian team flag bearer was asked about the British after her Rio campaign ended yesterday with 10th in the sprint.
She answered that everyone was scratching their heads about how Great Britain repeatedly peaked so well at the Olympics.
“I would like to clarify that I never said or insinuated that #TeamGB are cheating or doing anything suspicious!,” Meares posted on Twitter.
“What I said was it makes me scratch my head to think how we can be better (sic) competitive with them at the Olympics.
“That’s what great rivals, champions and teams like GBR do.
“They’re an amazing team and their athletes and staff deserve the success that’s come their way.”
I would like to clarify that I never said or insinuated that #TeamGB are cheating or doing anything suspicious! pic.twitter.com/CjIa7vvWjd
— Anna Meares (@AnnaMeares) August 16, 2016
Members of the French and German track teams have expressed their bemusement about the British success in Rio.
German sprinter Kristin Vogel said the British had been cannon fodder at world championships for several years, but are now dominating.
“I don’t want to accuse anyone of anything but it is all very questionable,” she said.
It is the third-straight Olympics where Great Britain have owned the track cycling.
Heading into the last day of competition they had won four gold and three silver – no other country had won more than one gold.
-AAP
