American news outlets have been subjected to ridicule around the world due to their incorrect reporting of the medal tally at the Paris Olympics.
Seemingly worried they may be toppled by the likes of China, media outlets such as the New York Times and NBC are bizarrely publishing tables showing the US toppling the medal count during day three of the action in France.
Traditionally, the nation with the most gold leads the medal count at the Games – but not in American eyes.
As of Tuesday morning, Australian time, Japan were the yardstick with six gold medals ahead of France, China, Australia and South Korea, who have all snared five.
Team USA sit in sixth spot with three gold medals – with eight silver and nine bronze for a total of 20.
It comes as many sports fans will recall American media latching onto the total amount of medals won at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 as China threatened to win more golds than the US.
The US is also the only major sporting country to rank the count by total medals, and faces criticism during major sporting events for reporting differently to the rest of the world media.
It is a tactic which frustrates many athletes, and added a layer to the tension between Australia and the US in the pool ahead of the Paris Games.
American news outlets have run a medal tally showing the USA leading the field, despite the fact other nations have won more golds in Paris (pictured, Aussie Ariarne Titmus after beating US swimmer Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle final)
Australia have currently won more gold medals than the US – but you wouldn’t know if it you looked at the tallies being run by the American media (pictured, Aussie swim star Molly O’Callaghan after winning the 200m freestyle final)
Based on the amount of gold medals won after day three of competition, the US aren’t in the top five (pictured)
The fuse was lit after American outlets again referred to the total amount of medals won at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships.
After day six of racing, the Aussies had won 10 gold compared to just three from the US squad.
It prompted recently retired Aussie swim legend Cate Campbell to voice her frustration at the US team ringing a cowbell whenever one of their swimmers prepared to race.
She also later got under the skin of American swimming great Michael Phelps, who said personally he would use Campbell’s fiery comments as a source of ‘daily inspiration’ if he was still competing.
‘I mean Australia coming out on top of the world is one thing, but it is just so much sweeter beating America,’ Campbell, a four-time Olympian, said last year.
‘The first night of competition, we did not have to hear ‘Star Spangled Banner’ ring out through the stadium. I cannot tell you how happy that made me.
‘If I hear that song again it will be too soon. ‘Bring on Paris. That’s all I have to say to the US. Stop being sore losers.’
Campbell was then predictably targeted on social media after failing to qualify for Paris.
