The Guardian have a poll up asking readers whether John Leonard owes Ye Shiwen an apology. If you've been following Speed Endurance on twitter (which I strongly suggest you do) you'll know where I stand on this issue.
My maths is a little shaky, but with 98% of Guardian readers believing the answer is yes, I think it is safe to say where the public stand on this issue too.
Here are some more 'gems' from Leonard today, I guess that apology is a long way away...
On Ye's final 50m of the 200 IM being slower than the final 50m of the 400 IM...
"She backed off, obviously," - Ah, he was joking all along, nobody could seriously make this claim... what's that? He really means it? Oh dear...
"She never took a hard stroke at any point in time [in the final 50]. She was told to do what it takes to win, nice job – but if you look at tape from the 400 IM, it's two totally different swims." - This is nonsense. I did look at the tape and she certainly looks like she's trying as she pulls ahead of Alicia Coutts on the 200 IM...
"When she was coming from behind [against American Elizabeth Beisel] she held an eight-beat kick all the way through the 400. That's extremely tiring. In the 200 she used a simple, soft, six-beat kick to get home." - Ah ha, the classic 'easy' six beat kick... Ye Shiwen's kick on the final 50m of the 200 IM did not look simple or soft...
