The Russian doping scandal was a controversial storyline coming into the Rio Olympics, and one that U.S. swimmer Lilly King was determined to remind people of now that the Games are in full force.
King brought home the gold medal in the 100-meter breaststroke Monday, beating out archrival Yulia Efimova, a Russian swimmer whom she had called a drug cheat the day before.
Beyond her “speed and ability,” King said she hoped she’d made a statement to the world that athletes can still compete clean. “It’s incredible, just winning a gold medal, and knowing I did it clean,” said the 19-year-old from Evansville, Indiana.
When Efimova waved her hand in victory after winning the semifinal Sunday night, King was spotted watching in the ready room shaking her head in disgust.
When later asked by NBC’s Michele Tafoya why she’d made the obvious gesture, King replied: “You know, you’re shaking your finger No. 1 and you’ve been caught for drug cheating,” she said, according to Fox Sports. “I’m just not a fan. So I’m going to swim my heart out for USA and hopefully it turns out for the best.”
Having served an 18-month suspension for use of an anabolic steroid, Efimova was controversially reinstated into the Olympic program just hours before competition started last week.
While King didn’t mince her words about the Russian swimmer, she also didn’t hold back when it came for her fellow countrymen — such as U.S. sprinters Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay — who had failed drug tests in the past.
“No, do I think people who have been caught doping should be on the team? They shouldn’t. It is unfortunate we have to see that,” King said.
“It is just something that needs to be set in stone that this is what we are going to do. Let’s settle this and be done with it. There should not be any bouncing back and forwards.”