U.S. swimmer Lilly King last night following her win in the 100-meter breaststroke final "took her crusade against doping to a new level" by "insisting that American athletes previously banned for drug offenses should have been kicked off the United States team," according to Martin Rogers of USA TODAY. Asked if athletes who have been suspended, such as sprinters Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay, deserved to be in Rio, King, "pulled no punches." She said, "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. It is just something that needs to be set in stone that this is what we are going to do" (USATODAY.com, 8/9). King also called out Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, who finished second to King last night. She said, "It was a victory for clean sport just to show that you can do it while competing clean." King added of Efimova, who has been suspended twice for using banned substances, "If that's what she feels she needs to be able to compete, whatever, that's her deal. I'm here to compete clean for the U.S. and that's what I'm going to do." In California, Scott Reid writes King "wasn’t alone in thinking that her Olympic record-setting win against Efimova ... redefined the term moral victory" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 8/9). REUTERS' Martyn Herman notes fellow Gold Medal-winning swimmer Michael Phelps "backed" King's attitude towards Efimova. He said that "more people should follow her lead." Phelps: "People should be speaking out more. You know I think (Lilly) is right. I think something needs to be done" (REUTERS, 8/9).
VOICE OF REASON: USA TODAY's Nicole Auerbach writes King "has become one of the Rio Olympics’ brightest stars and loudest voices in defense of clean sport." She "famously wagged her finger after Efimova’s semifinal swim and voiced her displeasure that Efimova was eligible to compete at these Games despite two previous suspensions" (USA TODAY, 8/9). King said after the semifinals of Efimova, "You just got caught for drug cheating, I'm not a fan." The AP's Tim Dahlberg notes on the eve of the biggest race of her life, King "wasn't afraid to take a stand." It was a "bold statement, the kind you never hear from athletes in the heat of competition." What "made it even better was that it was spontaneous, and seemed to come straight from the heart." Dahlberg: "Then she backed it up with a swim for the gold" (AP, 8/9). The GUARDIAN's Andy Bull writes King was "right to take that stand." Bull: "Too few in her sport do, least of all the men and women who run it" (THEGUARDIAN.com, 8/9).
NO LOVE LOST: In N.Y., Karen Crouse notes immediately after last night's race, King "hung on the lane line that separated her from Efimova and splashed twice in Efimova’s lane." King said that she "did not do it on purpose," and she "studiously avoided any contact with Efimova." Meanwhile, the news conference featuring the medal winners "felt more like a trial than a triumphant review." King "sat at the opposite end of the table from Efimova." Neither King nor teammate Katie Meilli, who won Bronze in the event, "looked at Efimova" (N.Y. TIMES , 8/9). In L.A., Bill Plaschke writes King "blew Efimova off" following the race. Plaschke: "She never congratulated her. She never even acknowledged her. Not in the water, not on the pool deck, not until they were finally forced to stand next to each other on the medals podium." King said, "If I was in Yulia’s position, I would not want to be congratulated by someone who wasn’t speaking highly of me" (L.A. TIMES, 8/9). ESPN's T.J. Quinn said, "It was tough not to feel for Efimova sitting there last night being asked about the boos she got from the crowd, the question of should the Russians be here at all. ... She's become the face of Russian doping” (“SportsCenter,” ESPN 8/9).
AMERICA'S NEW SWEETHEART? In Indianapolis, David Woods writes King "endeared herself to Americans with her in-your-face stance against a Russian drug cheat." Within 2 1/2 hours after the race, King's Twitter followers "increased by 7,000 to 17,000-plus" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 8/9). FOXSPORTS.com's Dieter Kurtenback notes King is "everything right about the Olympics." Her "finger wag, stare down and relentless antagonizing couldn’t be more in line with the spirit of the games" (FOXSPORTS.com, 8/9). ESPN's Mike Golic said, "It was one of those prideful U.S. moments that now in this day and age, you not only got to share it with the people in the room, but you shared it with the country because everybody was tweeting about this and commenting about it” (“Mike & Mike,” ESPN Radio, 8/9). NBCOLYMPICS.com's Alan Abrahamson writes the media "proved all too eager Monday evening to latch on to an easy narrative that abruptly cast King as a virtuous American hero, striking a blow for drug-free sport ... while slaying the notorious Russian" (NBCOLYMPICS.com, 8/9).
TWITTER REAX: USA Today's Christine Brennan: "Lilly King is walking in the footsteps - swimming in the wake? - of @SBabashoff and her teammates. Wonderful to see." ESPN's Chris Fowler: "Who knew: women's 100 breaststroke would be one of the salty badass events of #Rio2016 - congrats @_king_lil backing up the swag." NBC Sports' Joe Posnanski: "Well that Lilly King press conference was ... Um ... Emotional is one word." Sporting News' Michael DeCourcy: "To those criticizing Lilly King for speaking out: If no athletes step forward, doping NEVER stops. NEVER." The Syracuse Post-Standard's Brent Axe: "'Sorry, Michael. We're giving the Wheaties box to Lilly King this year.'"
CAN'T QUIET THE BOO BIRDS: In L.A., Nathan Fenno reports "boos, taunts and thinly veiled accusations have filled the humid air" at the swimming venue, as Russia's "state-sponsored doping scandal hangs over the pool." Each day "brings a new reminder" that FINA announced last month that seven Russian swimmers were "barred from the Olympics for previously testing positive for banned substances or being named in" WADA's report on the country's doping program (L.A. TIMES, 8/9). CBC.ca's Adrienne Arsenault writes there was "no mistaking" the booing at the pool last night. Arsenault: "And not booing of the under-your-breath, tsk-tsk variety. It was scorn at volume." CBC's Mark Tewksbury said that the booing began in the "athletes' section and was 'joined ... because the athletes started it, by the Brazilian crowd, which was vocal" (CBC.ca, 8/9). In Sydney, Greg Baum notes Efimova last night "was met with boos, jeers, whistles, and even a bit of fist-shaking" (SMH.com.au, 8/9). The L.A. TIMES' Plaschke noted Efimova was "loudly booed" on Saturday during her first appearance -- "especially from the athletes's section of the stands -- and has been loudly booed since" (L.A. TIMES, 8/9).USA TODAY's Christine Brennan in a front-page piece notes the Olympic pool "has become the crossroads of a morality play that harks back to the days of the Cold War" (USA TODAY, 8/9).
