King wags finger at ‘cheating’ Russian

The Summer Olympics has its first mustsee event on Monday. The women’s 100meter breaststroke final will be a showdown between American Lilly King and Russian Yuliya Efimova, who has tested positive twice for doping violations and was called out by King on Sunday night.

King took a shot at Efimova, who was only cleared to compete days before the Games after initially being banned, following the semifinal heats. Efimova was part of an ongoing doping scandal involving several Russian athletes and she tested positive this year for the now-banned substance meldonium

“You got caught for drug cheating, I’m just not a fan,” King, who attends Indiana University, said while being interviewed on television at Olympic Aquatics Stadium.

When Efimova won her heat, she wagged her finger, as if to signal she was No. 1. King, seen watching the heat, waved her finger at the television, to say not so fast. She won her heat, edging Efimova, 1:05.70 to 1:05.72. King wasn’t alone in her criticism. Efimova also heard boos from the crowd.

“Well, I don’t know what to say,” Efimova told the Associated Press. “I mean, I was crazy the last half-year and just don’t understand what’s going on and everything. I’m just happy to be here and I’m ready to race.”