2012 Olympic Champion in the 100 meter breaststroke Ruta Meilutyte called out FINA on her Twitter account on Thursday over their decision to not suspend Russian swimmer Yulia Efimova.
“Congratulations @fina1908 you’ve just lost the faith of thousands of swimmers and supporters,” Meilutyte said in the Tweet. She replied to her own Tweet with a “*clean swimmers” to clarify her barb.
While Meilutyte’s Tweet doesn’t specifically reference Efimova, the implication is clear.
Congratulations @fina1908 you've just lost the faith of thousands of swimmers and supporters ????
— Ruta Meilutyte (@MeilutyteRuta) July 13, 2016
In 2012, Meilutyte, who represents Lithuania but has trained in Great Britain for most of her elite career, won the Olympic gold medal in the 100 breaststroke. Efimova placed 7th in that race.
This season, Efimova ranks 2nd behind Meilutyte in the 100 breaststroke, but she hasn’t raced since early March after being placed under a temporary suspension for a positive test for the recently-banned substance Meldonium.
2015-2016 LCM Women 100 BREAST
KING
1.04.93*OR
| 2 | Yulia EFIMOVA | RUS | 1.05.50 | 08/08 |
| 3 | Katie MEILI | USA | 1.05.69 | 08/08 |
| 4 | Ruta MEILUTYTE | LTU | 1.05.82 | 03/11 |
| 5 | Alia ATKINSON | JAM | 1.05.93 | 11/06 |
FINA lifted the temporary suspension, however, and this week the FINA Doping Control Panel decided not to issue Efimova any suspension, and the Russians affirmed her spot on their 2016 Olympic Team. The positive test was Efimova’s second since the 2012 Olympics; the first, for a different substance in 2013, resulted in a 16-month suspension.
Efimova won the World Championship in the 100 breaststroke last season, while Meilutyte took silver seven-tenths of a second behind.
wpDiscuz
I am confident that Ruta will be great in Rio. I feel for her since they basically rewrote the rule book in favor of her cheating competitor
Ruta-Ownage <3
Her and USA for Top 3.
I’ll be rooting for the Americans of course, but I will root just as much for Ruta. It would be special if she can repeat and vanquish the sport a bit. That podium moment would be timeless.
I’m conflicted.
I don’t want Efimova to win any medal, but at the same time, I want her to win bronze, losing to Ruta and Lilly. Imagine the delicious moment when Ruta and Lilly give her the cold shoulder and death stare at the podium!
There is something satisfying about that, but I would rather see the joy of someone like Alia Atkinson making the podium. Her reaction when she won short course gold was awesome.
Even if Efimova finals and doesn’t get a medal, she’s still taking away the 9th place swimmer’s chance to race in an Olympic final. If she doesn’t make the final, she’s still harming the 17th place finisher. If she doesn’t make the semifinal, she’s still taking away a swimmer’s opporunity of being in a circle seeded heat. Her presence will rob so many people of once in a lifetime experiences. I definitely won’t be silent if Atkinson gets 4th and can’t be the first female black swimmer to get an Olympic medal because of that monster.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enith_Brigitha
See also: Lia Neal (bronze in 4×100 FR in 2012) and Maritza Correia (silver in 4×100 FR in 2004)
Lia Neal is asian.
Her dad is black and her mother is Asian, so she’s both
This is great!
I’m more embarrassed that FINA doesn’t even have their own name as a twitter handle. That’s how ya know they’re in over their heads.
Good observation. FINA deserves one of one your hand wank GIFs (but the sysadmin would prolly yank it).
Best Comment Ever.
I’d not be very surprised if those aging coots Julio and Cornel have never heard of Twitter.
(I’m well over 60 myself, so I feel qualified to say this.)
Ruta will win, the 100 breast, it will be a tight race between her King and unfortunately efimova
Good for her. We need more athletes to speak out and help clean up the sport.
Same, Ruta, same..