WENDELL HUSSEY | Cadet |CONTACT

Former Labor Party Spokesperson on Chinese Affairs, Sam Dastyari has today made a few phone calls.

The exiled former Labor Senator did so in order to ascertain whether his connections with Chinese Business Leaders and the Chinese Communist Party want him to get involved with the current sports row which is slowly looking like it could escalate into a diplomatic row.

Horton, who won the silver medal in the 400m freestyle at the recent World Championships, refused to stand on the podium alongside gold medallist Yang, and also refused to shake his Chinese rival’s hand.

The rivals bad blood goes back to the 2016 Olympics and comes from Horton’s belief that he ‘has no time or respect for drug cheats’, and has caused those outside the swimming to start voicing their opinions on the row, which some see as disrespectful.

Dastyari explained to The Advocate this morning that he’s made a few calls on his Huawei to see if his Chinese friends want him to get involved and call for the Melbourne Swimmer to be pulled into line.

“I’m happy to spread myself around any talk show on tv and radio I can get myself on and call for Mack Horton to pull his head in,” Dastyari said in between calls.

“I mean I’m trying to get on any TV and Radio show I can anyway, so the Mack Horton thing would give me a bit of direction.”

“Anyway, I’m just waiting to hear back so I’ll let you know.”