Yulia Efimova: Can The Russian Star Overcome Doping Cloud?

Preview for the 2017 Mare Nostrum Tour in swimming. This article focuses on Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova and American swimmer Lilly King and the doping scandal Efimova faced during, and prior to, the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Jun 9, 2017 by Maclin Simpson

Yulia Efimova: Can The Russian Star Overcome Doping Cloud?

2017 Mare Nostrum - Monaco

June 10-11, 2017
Monaco, Monaco
Prince Albert II Olympic Pool
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2017 Mare Nostrum - Barcelona

June 13-14, 2017
Barcelona, Spain
Club Natació Sant Andreu
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2017 Mare Nostrum - Canet-en-Roussillon

June 17-18, 2017
Canet-en-Roussillon, France
Canet 66 Natation
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PSYCH SHEET (TBD)

Yulia Efimova has remained fairly quiet in the public realm since the bright lights of the Olympics faded into darkness. That will soon change as the Russian swimmer prepares to return to the big stage at the 2017 Mare Nostrum on June 13-14 in Barcelona.

All eyes will be on Efimova to see how the 25-year-old rebounds from a controversial year that included a doping scandal, backlash from Rio spectators, and a highly publicized war of words with fellow Olympian Lilly King.

Efimova was initially banned from participating in the Games after failing a drug test earlier in 2016 for meldonium -- a common drug which essentially increases and improves blood flow, boosting an athlete's endurance and accelerating the recovery process. Prior to that, Efimova tested positive for 7-keto-DHEA in 2013. FINA crushed her with a whopping 16-month suspension. Even worse than that? They stripped her of two world records and five international medals as well.

However, the decision to suspend Efimova in Rio was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, allowing her to compete and stirring up drama among American athletes that reinvigorated a USA versus Russia narrative. Throughout the Games, Efimova received a constant barrage of jeers and boos from spectators.

But how did this become such a prominent storyline? Enter Lilly King.

King, an up-and-coming star breaststroke swimmer for the United States, has a brash personality, and she is unafraid to speak her mind -- a trait that many in the swimming community would like to see more of. To a point...

After taking the win in the first semifinal of the women's 100m breaststroke in Rio, medal favorite Efimova waved her index finger in the air, presumably claiming to be No. 1.

King did not take too kindly to that and was shown on camera by NBC in the ready room preparing for the second semifinal wagging her finger side to side. Not so fast, Yulia...

During a very brief sideline interview with NBC after her semifinal swim in the 100m breaststroke, King noted, "You're [Efimova] shaking your finger 'No. 1' and you've been caught for drug cheating," King said. "I'm not a fan."

King did not stop there. After the session ended, she shared some more choice words with reporters in the mixed zone. "That's kind of my personality," King said. "I'm not just this sweet little girl. ... If I do need to stir it up to put a little fire under my butt or anybody else's, then that's what I'm going to do. It's unfortunate that that's going on in the sport right now, but that was her decision and [boos] are what's going to happen."

Well, King ended up defeating Efimova in the 100m breaststroke final, taking the gold medal in an Olympic-record time of 1:04.93.

After all was said and done, Efimova noted that the whole incident -- King's comments, the boos, and the jeers -- was a "nightmare."

Efimova went on to say, "This completion [of the swimming events in Rio] 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."

When asked further after the Olympics ended, King noted, "It was something that needed to be brought up, in my mind. I wasn't even planning on speaking out. It just kind of happened. But I'm glad I did, because it is something that needs to be noticed, and it's something that needs to be dealt with, and I just happened to be the person that decided to come out, so I'm super glad I did it."

So now that the dust has settled, where does Efimova stand? While she's mainly stayed out of the spotlight, her swimming has been on point, and the world is taking notice. Efimova currently holds the top time in the world this year in the 50m breaststroke (29.88) and 200m breaststroke (2:21.35) plus the No. 2 time in the 100m breaststroke (1:05.90) -- all from the Russian National Championships back in April.

She will have another opportunity to grab the swimming world's attention at the Mare Nostrum. Efimova is currently slated to swim the 50-100-200m breaststroke races and the 200m IM in all three legs (Monaco, Barcelona, and Canet-en-Roussillon) of the tour this week.

You can watch Efimova and a plethora of other stars such as Katinka Hosszu, Sarah Sjöström, Mack Horton, Cameron McEvoy, and many others LIVE and exclusively on FloSwimming.
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