Olympian James Magnussen blasts Karl Stefanovic over 'Michael Phelps is a tosser' remark

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Retired Olympic swimmer James Magnussen has taken a stunning swipe at Today Show host Karl Stefanovic for trying to create beef between the Australian and US swim teams.

Stefanovic recently criticised swimming legend Michael Phelps during a televised cross with Aussie swimmer Cate Campbell, labelling Phelps an 'absolute tosser'.

Magnussen believes the inflammatory remarks were over the line and have rubbed the Australian swimming team the wrong way.

'I can tell you from within the inner sanctum that they are furious about it,' Magnusson told co-host Matty Johns on the Matty and the Missile in Paris podcast.

'America doesn't need more motivation heading into the Olympics. But above and beyond that, Matty, it's disrespectful.'

Campbell had also riled up the American swimming team by calling them 'sore losers', but Magnussen believes Stefanovic had escalated the war.

'You can imagine if we were sitting back here in Australia and an American pundit off a talk show just absolutely ripped into Ian Thorpe, called him a tosser, said that he needs to lay off the bongs, said that he won't be watching the swimming, he'll be watching SpongeBob SquarePants, said that he presents terribly, has a bad haircut, Looks like a dead shit basically,' Magnussen said.

'Americans don't know who Karl Stefanovic is. They don't know what tone he's saying it in. They don't understand the Today Show. They have never heard of Karl Stefanovic in their life.

Olympian James Magnussen (pictured) thinks Karl Stefanovic went too far with his remarks about swimming legend Michael Phelps

Karl Stefanovic labelled Phelps an 'absolute tosser' in a June segment on the Today Show

'All they know is this guy on Australian television has absolutely ripped into a sporting icon to a guy that I believe is the greatest athlete of all time.

'I'm slightly biased because I come from swimming, but there's an argument to be made that he is the greatest athlete of all time. He's the greatest Olympian of all time.'

Stefanovic referenced a controversial photo of Phelps holding a marijuana pipe from 2009 in his Today show segment.

'Well he's angry he doesn't have a proper haircut,' the TV host said.

'Also, I just feel like he's lost his personality. And they say that excessive bucket bombing does that to you.'

Stefanovic continued to take aim at the swimming great.

Magnussen believes the inflammatory remarks about Phelps (pictured) were disrespectful 

'Phelpsy's just lost his personality hasn't he? He's just gone soft or something,' he said.

'He's boring and he's retired. I want to say this to you, you have our full backing. The country is behind you to not back down. We want you to go forward.

'I mean Phelpsy's probably not going to watch the swimming. He'll probably be watching SpongeBob SquarePants at three in the morning. You know what I mean, rather than be participating in all this.'

Magnussen said he doesn't mind rivalry but believes the remarks from Stefanovic toward the swimming legend were disrespectful. 

'I'm all for creating a stir, and I'm all for banter between athletes when it's the athlete that then has to go and back it up,' Magnussen said.

'So, for example, you know, in 2012, I had the famous line, 'brace yourselves', but guess who then has to go and back that up? I do. I'm the one that's standing behind those words.

'To come from the sidelines, to come from the rafters and shoot down an icon of the country. An icon of the sport, an icon of the Olympics.

'It just felt disrespectful and the manner it was done to call him a tosser.

'That's verbatim. Called him a tosser. That's just not how you treat sporting greats.

'It's not how you treat people in general, but certainly it's not how you treat a legend of the Olympics.'