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.
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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.