Clowns and propaganda – best quotes of the Tokyo Games

But the ultra-competitive Olympians occasionally let the mask slip in the Games cauldron and here are a few quotes unlikely to appear on inspirational posters:

“It’s a huge mental drain on me to go throughout the year (thinking) that I’m swimming in a race that’s probably not clean, and that is what it is.”

– American swimmer Ryan Murphy raises doping allegations after losing to Evgeny Rylov of Russia in the 200m backstroke.

“How unnerving our victories are for some of our colleagues… the broken record is once again playing the song about Russia doping and someone is diligently pressing the button on the English-language propaganda.”

– The Russian Olympic Committee fires back in spectacular fashion

“America is sitting there rooting for the United States and then they have this clown show. I can’t take it any more. It’s just unacceptable.”

– American track legend Carl Lewis unloads after the US 4x100m relay squad failed to make the final

“I was basically shouting because I was frustrated, not at Charlie but at the situation. I’m not at the Olympics to run into someone and crash”

– Danish cyclist Frederik Madsen after crashing into Briton Charlie Tanfield in the men’s team pursuit then yelling obscenities in his rival’s face

“I don’t see why you should put anything beneath a sprinting shoe. In the middle distance, I can understand it because of the cushioning. If you want cushioning, you can put a mattress there. But if you put a trampoline, I think it’s bullshit.”

– Norway’s 400m hurdles gold medallist Karsten Warholm questions the ‘super spike’ running shoe technology used by his beaten US rival Rai Benjamin

“People are allowed to be sick, that’s what sick bags are for… who cares who… threw up, it’s not World War III? Why is rugby being dragged through the mud?”

– An unnamed Australian rugby sevens player talking to local media about allegations players drank excessively and vomited on their flight home from Tokyo