Rio Olympics 2016: Max Whitlock’s team-mate Louis Smith rubbishes claims he didn’t congratulate him on gold medal and denies calling his win ‘bulls***’
Team GB silver medallist appeared to be devastated after his team-mate knocked him off first spot to claim gold for himself
LOUIS SMITH has hit back at claims he refused to congratulate team-mate Max Whitlock on his double-gold Olympic success.
The Team GB silver medallist also disputed reports he called Whitlock's historic triumph "bulls***".
Viewers slammed Smith, 27, for 'unsportsmanlike' behaviour after Magnificent Max knocked him down to second place with his performance in the pommel horse final yesterday.
Whitlock, 23, even comforted second-placed Smith when the results were out.
But the Strictly Come Dancing star said: "Because it wasn't shown on camera doesn't mean I didn't show my respect. Ask Max yourself then apologise."
Smith was teary-eyed on the podium and could not hide a look of utter devastation.
But he insists he was full of pride - not sadness.
He added: "My tears weren't that of sadness. I'm not a wimp. It was of pride and relief."
Smith appeared to mutter "that's bulls***" while hugging Alexander Naddour, the American bronze medallist, after they found out they had been bumped down to second and third.
But the gymnast has taken to Twitter and denied the allegation, instead claiming he said "should be proud man".
However, professional lipreader Tina Lannin told the she believes he said: "Yeah (pause) 'bulls*** man'."
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Lannin added: "I lipread everyone around me, all day, every day of my life, and swear words are the easiest to see."
She also completely disputes Smith's claims he said "should be proud man", saying: "The words seen do not fit the sentence proposed. The individual words do not fit the spoken words seen, the syllables do not fit those seen, neither does the sentence's rhythm as a whole."
Because it wasn't shown on camera doesn't mean I didn't show my respect
Louis Smith
Smith has been accused of being more congratulatory towards USA's Naddour than his own team-mate.
He tweeted: "Me and max smashed it but my lord @Alex_Naddour .... USA medal for pommels, bro like I said to you. You came and you done your job" (sic)
Smith did eventually hug fellow Brit Whitlock following his gold medal.
But he admitted the moment was spoiled somewhat by his failure to win the top gong.
Speaking after the ceremony, he told the : "There many different emotions. I would have liked to get a gold.
"I received so many negative comments, about team selection saying I shouldn't even be in the team and then to have messed up in the team final and then to have had a week until now, I was dealing with a lot emotionally, mentally. It just means so much.
"The amount of pride I'm feeling right now - I've been speaking to my mum quite a lot, she's at home, she didn't come out. She's been worried sick and just to go through that . . . it means so much."