"Nationalism" is a label often abused by news media in Australia when they report Chinese public opinion that supports the country's stance. It's such a nasty word that once applied, it can almost nullify all objections from the Chinese public since they are regarded as not thinking rationally but are driven by a nationalistic sentiment.

So it has become a preferred method of Australian media to demonize China.

But after the spat between China's ace swimmer Sun Yang and Australian golden medalist Mack Horton went viral, Australian media has shown a complete nationalist sentiment when covering this issue.

While I can perfectly understand those Aussie media for backing their countryman, I also noticed that all of them deliberately ignored the fact that Sun Yang's doping allegation was caused by medication for treating his heart problem.

The media in China has been giving detailed information on this story. Sun got his heart problem first in 2008 when he caught a cold and the virus caused damage to his heart. Although he had received medical treatment for that, his heart had never fully recovered and the problem resurfaced again in 2014 when he began to suffer cardiac arrhythmia.

But Sun and his doctor were not aware that, since 2014, the World Anti-Doping Agency had suddenly decided to ban a substance called "trimetazidine" that has been commonly found in medicines for treating heart problem. 

Sun tested positive after a drug test in a national game in 2014. He was using a medication for his heart problem, but unfortunately, it contained a substance which had just been banned as a new type of stimulant. Sun was suspended for three months for this careless mistake. 

After the suspension, Sun went back to the pool and proved himself. 

When Horton called Sun a "drug cheat" during the Rio Olympics as a tactic to distract Sun, the Australian swimmer angered millions of Chinese here. 

Anti-doping professionals from the US, such as Athlete Ombudsman for the US Olympic Committee John Ruger, said in 2013 in the UK that between 40-60 percent of positive test doping results were inadvertent (non-deliberate) cases.

Australian media didn't give its audiences the whole picture of the story but stirred misunderstanding towards China among Australians.

In addition, the Australian media has launched an offensive against China, claiming that China has a very poor history of doping, especially in the swimming pool. But Chinese have never denied that. It’s not something we want to hide as some Australian media outlets have portrayed. 

When past scandals involving Chinese athletes were exposed, the Chinese society got so angry that they demanded immediate changes to the country's sporting system and called for detention of those who were responsible. 

And let's not forget that Horton himself has actually admitted that he called Sun a "drug cheat" for disturbing him and has plotted this beforehand. But this "confession" was also "downplayed" or even ignored in Australian media reports. 

From a Chinese perspective, Australian media only shows its arrogance and Horton himself seems a silly brat.

Australian media has somehow forgotten to mention that Australia’s 4x100 relay team was also found taking a banned substance called "Stilnox" right before the 2012 Olympic Games. 

Although the substance is not banned by the WADA, it is forbidden by the Australian Olympics Committee as this "sleeping pill" has some "performance enhancement" effect and is highly addictive. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation produced a feature on the abuse of this substance in Australia's rugby league back in 2013.

Unlike Sun, members of the Australian relay team deliberately took this banned substance. But two members are still competing in Rio. 

So let me ask you, would it be more appropriate if they are called "drug cheats"? 

The author is an Australian university graduate and a sports fan based in Beijing. opinion@globaltimes.com.cns