Olympic Athletes Condemn Drug Cheaters
Start writing a post
Sports

Olympic Athletes Condemn Drug Cheaters

Why does the anti-doping policy only apply to some?

14
Olympic Athletes Condemn Drug Cheaters

From Zika virus to lackluster accommodations at the Olympic Village, the 2016 Summer Olympics are proving to be one of the most controversial events of the year yet. Only the most recent complaints have nothing to do with Brazil, but instead, choose to tackle another relevant issue — doping scandals.

For the uninformed, the Russian Federation has recently come under fire for their allowance of a state-sponsored doping program during the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. While the World Anti-Doping Association (WADA) has cracked down on the nation and banned many of their athletes, including the entire track and field team as well as the entire Russian Paralympics team, a select few have slipped through the cracks to compete in Rio.

One of these athletes is 24-year-old Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova. Although Efimova has previously been suspended from the sport for 16 months due to the use of a banned substance and recently failed another drug test, she was quietly allowed entry into the Olympics only hours before her event.

In addition to the consistent booing that arises every time Efimova enters the Olympic Aquatics Stadium, U.S. swimmer Lilly King has openly expressed her dislike of Efimova’s attendance as well. The rivalry reared its ugly head during the semifinals when Efimova won her heat and wagged her finger as if to say she was the number one competitor. King, watching the race from a TV, mocked her finger wagging in a state of disdain for her fellow athlete. King then went on to win first place in the second semifinal, thus ensuring that the two competitors to face off in the next match.

King has openly vocalized her feelings about Efimova, saying in an interview with NBC, “You wave your finger number one, and you’ve been caught drug cheating? I’m not a fan.”

King’s dismissal of Efimova was certainly backed up on Aug. 8, when the two finally faced off in the pool. King beat Efimova in the 100-meter race by almost one second, breaking the previous Olympic record winning a gold medal and condemning the Russian swimmer and other “drug cheaters.”

The U.S. gold medalist isn’t the only one to express dissent over the allowance of cheating athletes into this year’s Olympics, either. Australian freestyler Mack Horton has also spoken out against his fellow Chinese competitor, Sun Yang, who previously served a 3-month suspension in 2014 for the use of a banned substance. Much like King, Horton also proved that clean athletes do it best by out-touching Sun for the gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle. Aside from Horton and King, even Michael Phelps has stated during a news conference, “I think I can honestly say in my career I don’t know if I’ve ever competed in a clean sport.”

While the WADA has clearly made some errors in allowing previously banned athletes to compete in the 2016 Olympics, more and more athletes like King, Horton and Phelps have been opening up and speaking out against the injustice of competing with drug cheaters. Their open disapproval has received some criticism with dissenters saying that they are failing to honor the good sportsmanship code of the Olympics. However, wouldn’t that code already have been dishonored by the drug cheating athletes that were allowed to compete for the privilege of winning an Olympic medal in the first place? In such a historic event like the Olympics, only those athletes who have honor and integrity are worthy of competing.

While the doping issue has certainly yet to be resolved, athletes like King and Horton have made their stances clear, and, if anything, their actions have only delivered their message further: there’s no room for drug cheaters to get the gold.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

58459
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

37667
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

959259
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

193819
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments