Lacourt failed to win any medals at the 2016 Summer Olympics. Following his 5th-place finish in the 100 meter backstroke, Lacourt made international news after criticizing the sport of swimming and making disparaging remarks about Chinese swimmer Sun Yang. In a post-race interview with French radio station RMCsport, Lacourt said: "I am very sad when I see my sport getting like this. I have the impression I am looking at athletics, with two or three doped in each final. I hope that FINA is going to react and stop this massacre, because it is getting sad," and finished with "Sun Yang, he pisses purple!" After being defeated by another Chinese swimmer, Xu Jiayu, who won the silver medal in the 100 meter backstroke, Lacourt said, "I don't like being beaten by a Chinese."