They can't win, can they. If they don't write the story, it'll be taken as evidence of how nasty they are, but when they do write it people are still not happy.
I think the point they're making is that finishing second is actually very good, so the fact that he was so upset about it shows what high standards he has for himself. If they harboured nasty attitudes towards him they probably wouldn't have published the article at all highlighting his ability...