Malagò responds to US and UK press coverage of Jacobs' Olympic victory.

Coverage of Marcell Jacobs' victory of the Men's 100m final in Tokyo by some US and UK media is "a source of great regret and also embarrassment," said Giovanni Malagò, president of Italy's Olympic Committee (CONI).

Several major British and American newspapers ran titles about Jacobs' "shock win" which - in Italy - has been perceived as casting aspersions on the validity of his victory.

• Olympics: Jacobs first Italian to win Men's 100m final

The Washington Post ruffled feathers by referring to the "sudden and immense improvement" of the "obscure Italian from Texas."

Raising the spectre of doping, the US paper stated: "the annals of the sport are littered with pop-up champions later revealed to be drugs cheats", adding: "Jacobs deserves the benefit of the doubt, but his sport does not."

Il Washington Post ed il Times lanciano sospetti di doping nei confronti del nostro campione Marcell Jacobs. Squallidi. Nella vita bisogna saper perdere, fatevene una ragione.— Matteo Salvini (@matteosalvinimi) August 2, 2021

Suspicions over Jacobs' performance were also hinted at in a contentious tweet by Matt Lawton, chief sports correspondent of The Times.

• Italy celebrates golden era of sport

Speaking to Italian state broadcaster Radio1 today, Malagò said: "I'm sorry that some people can't accept defeat," adding: "We are talking about athletes who are subjected to doping controls on a daily basis and when they make a record everything is doubled."

The new Olympic 100m champion, Marcell Jacobs, broke 10 seconds for the first time in May. Came here and ran 9.84 in the semi and 9.80 to win. Ah well.— Matt Lawton (@Lawton_Times) August 1, 2021