Only a week has passed since the 31^st Olympiad began, and already the tension is building, the emotions are flying, the rivalries are brewing, and the drama has headed to the forefront. In particular, women’s swimming has received some attention for something other than world records. On the third and fourth days of competition in the pool, the 100 meter breaststroke semifinal and final got extra media coverage and storylines due to the opinionated young American, Lilly King, and the controversial Russian, Yulia Efimova. Just days before opening ceremonies, Efimova was unsure of whether she would be swimming in Rio due to an ongoing suspension she received for performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Since the decision of the Olympic board came through, and King showed her first signs of disapproval in the Ready Room by mocking Efimova’s first place finish in the semifinal, PEDs have become center stage in a sport other than baseball, and it’s got a lot of heads turning.

There have always been issues, no matter what athletic league, with the consequences of being caught with steroids as compared to other offenses much less concerning, and thanks to King, the world is speaking up about the mild, slap-on-the-wrist penalties for PED users. I, for one, do not think Efimova should be allowed to swim in Rio, either, but the principle of the whole situation is more important.

Looking at a brief history of sports, even if you have not watched a single event in your life, you have no doubt heard names. You have heard the major league baseball greats such as Alex Rodriguez (New York Yankess), Barry Bonds (San Francisco Giants), Ryan Braun (Milwaukee Brewers), or Darryl Strawberry (New York Mets). People are familiar with the names Maria Sharapova (tennis), Lance Armstrong (cycling), and Lyle Alzado (football). Well, sports fans, I hate to break it to you if you were not already aware, but all of these aforementioned greats have used steroids/performance enhancing drugs or admitted they would have, had they been available (Strawberry). And what penalties have they received? I get it, Alex Rodriguez is getting his bad karma here at the end of his career recently, but everything else he has accomplished and any milestones or records he has achieved are not being ripped from his clutches, and twenty years from now, we will see him being inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame. The same goes for Barry Bonds, who holds the All-Time Home Run since 2007 when he hit his 756^th homer, one more than Hank Aaron. Even though he has been caught red-handed using PEDs, he will never be stripped of the title of Home Run King. He, too, will enter the Hall of Fame years from now with a few games suspension as his punishment. Ryan Braun received a suspension for his involvement in the pill ring, and nothing has been spoken of the incident since then. It is as if his slate has been wiped clean.

Remember the name Maria Sharapova because although she is going to be considered one of the great tennis players and also able to play again once the season starts back up, she was banned from the Rio games for her drug violation. Lyle Alzado, although he ultimately sacrificed his life for years and years of steroid use, never received any sanction from the NFL. It seems as though Lance Armstrong is the only big name who has been severely reprimanded for his use of PEDs, as he had his Tour de France title stripped.

On the opposite side of this, there are so many athletes even greater than those that used PEDS that got there by hard work and dedication, staying clean in regards to steroids and other drugs, but some of them got penalized one hundred times worse than actual users. Pete Rose gambled on his team, not against. Pete Rose was caught. He is one of the greatest baseball players ever, but is banned from ever entering the Hall of Fame for something as harmless as betting that his own team would win. The Chicago Black Sox were stripped of any wins in 1919, among other sanctions, for taking a bribe. Yes, that is something that deserves consequences, but does it deserve consequences more severe than taking banned substances?

Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Joe Montana, and Serena Williams are some of the biggest names of all-time in their individual sports, and none of them have gotten their names into the history books while using PEDS. Katie Ledecky, Lilly King, and Michael Phelps are the biggest names in Olympic swimming, period.

Back to the present, Maria Sharapova was banned from Rio Olympics for using some of the same substances that Yulia Efimova claims “she did not realize” she was taking. Efimova also pointed a finger at the great Michael Phelps, saying he smoked marijuana and drank alcohol. Phelps (who was not competing during the time he was caught smoking) served his suspensions without question. Everyone drinks, and if Efimova were to say anyone who has ever had alcohol shouldn’t be allowed to compete either, then there would be no Olympics. Marijuana and alcohol also would not have helped Phelps’ performance, but hindered it. She has been trying to blame anyone but herself since the backlash began, much in part to Lilly King.

I keep mentioning Lilly King, and that is because this 19-year-old college student and Olympic gold medalist has had the courage to speak up about her opinions on those who cheat their way to success with PEDs or other substances. In the 100 meter breaststroke, King was to participate in the second semifinal while Yulia Efimova competed in the first. By this point everyone knew Efimova’s story about being caught with PEDs more than once. In the Ready Room, King mocked Efimova with the Dikembe Mutombo finger wag when Efimova won her heat and threw up the number one sign. King proceeded to swim a time faster than the Russian and earn the top-qualifying spot in the final race. When questioned about her mockery, King did not hesitate to admit that she did not agree with the IOC’s decision to reinstate the drug-user, and that she doesn’t believe it’s okay to call yourself number one when you didn’t do it on your own.

The next night, King edged out Efimova in the final by about a half-second, and was more than ready to repeat her stance. “I hope I did,” she responded to a question about proving something. “You know: that we can still compete clean and do well at the Olympic Games. And that’s how it should be.”

America’s spunky sweetheart has caught attention worldwide, and is bringing courage to those afraid to speak up about their opinions and stances on PEDs and its lax policy. Maybe everyone is finally fed up enough. In the near future, maybe drug penalties will get harsher and harsher and discourage athletes from using.

We can only hope Lilly King is sparking a change in the world of sports.