Sally Jenkins had a good column in the Washington Post earlier this week contextualizing Efimova, and about how we should be careful about vilifying her in light of issues with our own athletes.
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After giving Efimova a finger wag as she watched her Russian counterpart celebrate her heat victory, King became an overnight sensation as a precocious young swimmer eager to take a stand against doping in her sport. On national TV she explained what she was thinking – and she did it in no uncertain words. From her hometown Evansville, Indiana, auto wash to social media, America was voicing its support for her quest to beat the cheating Russian. “When you drive a auto and break a rule, you just get a ticket”.
“I perfectly understand athletes who do this”, she said. What made it even better was that it was spontaneous, and seemed to come straight from the heart. “We’re also very much looking forward to the medley relay … when she swims with her teammates and proudly wears the stars and stripes on her cap”. An Olympic record swim for the gold, just to put an exclamation point on the night.
That’s when King let Efimova have it again. And now she’s a new face of the Olympics anti-doping movement. She then told NBC’s Michele Tafoya that she didn’t appreciate the gesture from Yefimova, who once served a 16-month ban for testing positive for a banned substance. Comments by King describing her rival as a drug cheat set up a tense contest in Monday’s 100m breaststroke final, in which the American teenager defeated the Russian.
King didn’t think that was right. Efimova took home the silver medal and left the pool visibly emotional. You know I think (Lily) is right. “So that’s kind of where I was at”.
After the win, King was asked if her previous statements about Efimova could be considered a statement on behalf of the United States and other athletes.
“So if she was wishing to be congratulated, I apologize”.
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Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, a silver medalist in Rio, has said “athletes should be above politics” after facing hostility from fellow competitors and the mainstream media over her participation at the Olympics following a doping scandal.
