Lilly King protected the American throne and won the latest Cold War when she brought home the gold Monday night, beating Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova in the 100-meter breaststroke.
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Swimming’s world governing body FINA attempted to crack down on drug cheats after the McLaren report accused Russian Federation of a state-sponsored doping programme, but Efimova was eventually given the green light to compete.
The Russian swimmer has twice been caught using illegal doping substances. You’d think that you’re in the United States and you’d appreciate the idea of giving everyone the chance to prove their own innocence, and that’s what we’ve tried to do.
Even though Efimova got the silver medal, King made it clear that it was possible to win while being completely clean.
“She is outspoken about following the rules and doing it the right way”, King’s father Mark told CNN’s Chris Cuomo on “New Day”. “But that was all I could do right now”. “I’m just not a fan”, King said.
Lilly King doesn’t think Justin Gatlin, the star sprinter, or other athletes previously banned for doping should be allowed to compete for the U.S.in the Olympics. On national TV she explained what she was thinking – and she did it in no uncertain words.
When asked about the open show of disapproval, King didn’t hold back.
As reported by BBC, Efimova was allowed to participate in the Rio Olympics after she appealed against a doping suspension. Catch the finals for the men’s 200 meter breaststroke and 100 meter freestyle along with the women’s 200 meter butterfly and women’s 4×200 meter freestyle relay tonight.
For more of PEOPLE’s Olympic coverage, pick up our collector’s edition, The Best of the Games, on sale now. “No I don’t”, she said.
King has become a cult figure in the US, where her battle with Efimova was portrayed as the latest in a line of US-Russia “grudge matches”.
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“Also, if I had been in Yulia’s position, I would not have wanted to be congratulated by someone who wasn’t speaking highly of me”, King said. “There should be no bouncing back and forth”. She did so minutes after Phelps won his fourth gold medal of the games and his 22nd gold overall. King is not only a clean athlete, but now an Olympic champion.
