Illustration: Chen Xia/GT

China and the US were tied for first place in the gold medal count, each earning an impressive 40 golds at the recently concluded Paris Olympics. This has quickly become a public focus at home and aboard. Among the coverage, some American media outlets launched relentless attacks and criticisms against China, attempting to undermine China's standing on the international sports stage. Such smear not only desecrates the spirit of the Olympics, but also exemplifies the decline of US hegemonism.

The Chinese version of VOA accused China of using the doping issue to attack the US and incite anti-American sentiments among the populace. Additionally, the Washington Post claimed in an op-ed that the 12 medals won by Chinese swimmers in Paris will forever "be tainted."

The world has witnessed the sports spirit and competitive prowess shown by Chinese athletes in Paris. Take the Chinese swim team, despite being unfairly treated - undergoing almost 200 tests in 10 days - they have competed fairly and passed rigorous scrutiny, embodying the true spirit of sportsmanship. In the face of increased US efforts to discredit Chinese athletes with doping allegations while concealing its own doping scandals, many Chinese netizens have expressed indignation. This is a natural response of public sentiment seeking fairness in sports and has nothing to do with being "anti-US."

Shen Yi, a professor at Fudan University, argues that the reactions from the Chinese public are a result of strong dissatisfaction with the US which exerted hegemony in the Olympic arena and abused doping regulations as weapons of unfair competition.

The US media labeling this normal expression of emotion as "anti-US" is undoubtedly a cunning political maneuver, one that tries to categorize any voice discontent with US brazen practices as adversarial, and portray China as inciting anti-American sentiment and damaging China-US relations.

Washington employs strategies of "suppression and defamation" against any potential rivals, and this practice has also spread into and tainted the Olympics arena. Whether in sports or other international affairs, US hegemonism has insidiously damaged justice and order. The US is not only unwilling to witness other powers emerge on the international stage, but also seeks to maintain its dominant position through political manipulation and media maneuvering.

With China's rise, the US' hostility toward China has deepened in almost every aspect including sports. However, the frantic smearing, political manipulation and the evident unwillingness of the US to face up to challenges reveal its own lack of confidence and declining strength.

The success of Chinese athletes at the Olympics not only serves as a testament to their hard work, but also stands as a powerful rebuttal to US hegemonism. While the Paris Olympics has concluded, the larger competition between the US and China is still underway. The US will continue to create barriers on China's track to hinder China's progress through dirty means, but ultimately will not succeed in pushing China out of the race.