Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova, "who became the villain" of the Rio Olympics swimming competition, took a "parting shot at fierce rival Lilly King on Saturday night," insisting the American 19-year-old was "immature" and had turned the event into "a war," according to Martin Rogers of USA TODAY. Efimova said that the past nine days have been a personal "nightmare" as the "bad blood between the American and Russian camps escalated." Efimova: "It was war. It was like a nightmare. This completion (of the program) is a relief because I love racing, but this was more like a war. It was awful. She is young, but she should understand more." Efimova "perhaps had the final say in her personal battle with King," clocking a time more than a second ahead during the breaststroke portion of the 4x100m medley relay. Earlier in the meet, King "repeatedly asserted that Efimova should not have been allowed to compete as she had previously been banned for doping." Efimova said of King, "She never talked with me. She said many things in the press conference, but nothing at all to me." Efimova has lived and trained in Southern California for the past five years, but the reaction she received from the American swimming public "has caused her to reconsider." On several occasions during the schedule, "she was booed as she entered the pool deck" (USA TODAY, 8/14).
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The London GUARDIAN reported King was asked earlier in the week whether athletes from her own country who had served drugs bans, such as 100m runner Justin Gatlin, should be allowed in the Games, "and said no." But on Saturday Efimova said that she felt her own country had been "targeted unfairly." Efimova: "Why are they discussing only Russians, not another country? I mean, it is not only Russia." Gatlin has "chosen to dismiss King’s words." Gatlin: "I don't even know who Lilly King is. She does swimming, not track and field, so I’m not worried about that" (
GUARDIAN, 8/14).
STEPANOVA HACKED: In London, Mary O'Connor reported Russian whistleblower Yuliya Stepanova "has been hacked after the system she uses to log her whereabouts was accessed illegally" by an unknown party, threatening the secret U.S. location "in which she and her husband live with their young son." WADA confirmed that Stepanova's password for its Anti-Doping Administration and Management System was "illegally obtained and used to access her account." The breach will concern the former 800m runner, "who fled Russia two years ago after she provided testimony of state-sponsored doping" to German journalist Hajo Seppelt and WADA (LONDON TIMES, 8/14). REUTERS reported Stepanova, praised by the IAAF for her courage in "stepping forward and revealing details on widespread doping in Russia," is still an active athlete and had attempted to compete in Rio. WADA said that the incident came "just days after" what it said was "an alleged hack" of its website with some users receiving emails that "looked as if they came from WADA urging them to enter their credentials" (REUTERS, 8/14).
MORE TO COME?: REUTERS' Katya Golubkova reported Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko said on Sunday that the suspension of long jumper Darya Klishina at the Rio Games may not be the "last provocation" against Russian athletes. The announcement about Klishina, the 25-year-old "with an exemption to compete while the rest of Russia's track and field team was banned" from the Games by the IAAF, came three days before she was due to compete. The IAAF "did not explain its decision." A source familiar with the issue said that the ban "related to new evidence uncovered by an anti-doping probe" into allegations Russia ran a systematic state-backed cheating program. Mutko: "I can say that this may not be the last provocation. I have no words -- they allowed her (to the Games) themselves ... These are some provocation moments which are being done on purpose. Its goal now is Russian sport" (REUTERS, 8/14).
