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Russian Yulia Efimova: “Why Start The Cold War Again Using Sport?”

The famous ‘finger wag’ seen around the world set up one of the most anticipated swimming races of the 2016 Olympic Games. American Lilly King had no qualms placing a spotlight on the fact fellow 100m breaststroke competitor, Yulia Efimova from Russia, had previously been banned for doping back in 2013 and also tested positive for meldonium earlier this year.

When all was said and done, however, it was King who reigned in the pool, coming out on top in a gold medal-winning performance of 1:04.93, a new Olympic Record in the women’s 100m breaststroke.

Efimova, who had been relatively quiet to the media leading up to the race, broker her silence post-race, calling the entire ordeal an unnecessary ‘cold war’.

“I understand the people who didn’t congratulate me because the media was full of fake stories about me,” said Efimova, according to state-run Russian media source TASS. “But on the other hand I don’t really understand the foreign competitors. All athletes should be above politics, but they just watch TV and believe everything they read. I always thought the cold war was long in the past. Why start it again, by using sport?”

Nonetheless, Efimova expressed slight satisfaction in her own performance, commenting, “I’m really happy, because what has happened to me is unbelievable. I made a mistake once, and I served the punishment.”

“I don’t even know how I made it to the final,” Efimova continued. “The last few weeks have been very hard, and I can’t remember the last time I had more than four hours of sleep. I wasn’t in my best form. I’m really upset I couldn’t win today.”

On her recent meldonium scandal, where she tested positive, but received reprieve due to WADA’s changing stance on testing grace periods, Efimova stated, “What happened the second time wasn’t my fault. I don’t know if I should explain in front of everyone.”

With the 200m breaststroke race yet to come for Efimova, this heated situation will no doubt retain the sport’s attention for the duration of the 2016 Olympic Games swimming competition.

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Irrelevant
8 years ago

Single hand turn – second hand no positive wall contact by the winner RIO 100m BR women – best check the slow motio. At the wall !!!

Superrichie
8 years ago

What a stupid comment, if a doctor has to prescribe it it’s probably on the list. This isn’t like she went into GNC and grabbed something off the shelf! This would be the first case of an elite athlete not being aware of her “supplementation” effects on her body.

Rex
8 years ago

Efimova should be banned as should the other 7 swimmers in the Macleren report. I just find consolation that the other russian swimmers are doing poorly in Rio. BIt IMHO Lilly King should have been DQ’d and ik I’m gonna get a lot of hate from my fellow patriotic Americans but Katie Meili deserved that Gold and Shi Jinglin the silver and Rachel Nicol the bronze and if we are on that subject Cody Miller should have been DQ’d and Kevin Cordes should receive bronze. I mean if we are going to make rules then at least we should keep them cause what is the point of judges.

Beststroke69
8 years ago

I think Russia’s connection with the drug is suspicious, why are so many of their athletes being caught with this drug in their systems? I understand the drug was synthesized in Latvia which would make it easily accessible for athletes in the neighboring countries, however since the ban has taken place over 120 athletes have been flagged with a majority from Russia and almost all from eastern Europe. This is only 1 substance that has been popping up recently, and I’m not including all of the other banned substances and anabolics Russia has been popped for in the last 4 years leading up to Rio. With that being said, there is obviously some sort of advantage they see while using… Read more »

Toaster
8 years ago

What a great discussion just formed in here! I actually feel very sorry for Efimova because of her complicated case and the probable uselessness of meldonium. So far no peer reviewed scientific papers are present that PROVE the effectiveness of meldonium as PED or recovery enhancer. What I’m really disgusted by is Lilly King’s approach to the whole thing. Humiliating your competitor is not the best way to feel valuable. She seems like attacking someone else is more important than her olympic title. What kind of sick brain is that? Do you know why Michael Phelps is the GOAT? Well, because he acts like one, with integrity and dignity, remaining silent in many situations like that and thus actually developing… Read more »

MarkB
Reply to  Toaster
8 years ago

Are you insane? Look up results before you talk about 6 second drops and coming out of nowhere. Several months before Trials, she was going :56 in the100 Breast at NCAA’s.

SwimFan1
Reply to  Toaster
8 years ago

Wow. So much to dispute in your post. Ms. King should be and is admired and applauded for calling out the unjust-ness of clean athletes having to compete against known, repeated dopers. After Ms. Efinova’s positive drug test in 2013, she more than anyone should have known better than to take any drug, let alone a heart medication for off-label use. Not feeling sorry for her one bit. Ms. King and all the other athletes that were forced to compete on an un-level playing field against proven dopers are rightly crying foul. Furthermore, Ms. King’s success “out of literally nowhere” is neither accurate nor unprecedented in the world of teenage female breaststrokers. She has been competing on an international stage… Read more »

Taa
Reply to  Toaster
8 years ago

I think King handled it pretty well and was actually quite diplomatic in her accusations.

CoachGB
8 years ago

What is overshadowed is just the plain fact the two women from US swam great. After trials predictors were down on the future results. Great swims ladies.

Teddy
8 years ago

She doesn’t object to cheating, she objects to the consequences.

Russian stalion
8 years ago

Lilly king should have been disqualified
Check out this turn

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Snt8uO1CQ1I

I guess the judges are blind

MarkB
Reply to  Russian stalion
8 years ago

You’re kidding, right? The proverbial “Grasping at straws”.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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