According to Russian Swimming Federation President Vladimir Salnikov, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) has cleared four-time world champion Yulia Efimova along with four other Russian swimmers as a result of Efimova’s appeal to the Court for Arbitration of Sport.
Yesterday’s CAS decision was complicated (and it’s explored in further depth here). The CAS does not believe that the IOC has the right to put a blanket ban from the Olympics on all previously-sanctioned Russian dopers, and, with that in mind, it sent the decision back to the IOC.
And, according to Salnikov, the Russian Swimming Federation received a letter from the IOC confirming that she can take part in the Olympic Games. FINA has also stated their approval.
Also allowed to participate will be Anastasia Krapivina, Mikhail Dogaluk, Nataliya Lovtsova, and Daria Ustinova (a backstroker who just filed her own appeal with the CAS).
“”FINA said that it supports the rights of Efimova, Anastasia Krapivina, Mikhail Dovgaluk, Daria Ustinova and Nataliya Lovtsova to being allowed to take part in the Games and has sent its recommendation to CAS,” Salnikov told R-Sport.
If the decision pans out, Efimova, the bronze medalist in the 100 breast at the 2012 Olympic Games, will swim the prelims of the women’s 100 breast on Sunday.
A Facebook post by Efimova’s agent Andrey Mikkov shows the swimmer in tears at the news.
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=593111624182035&set=a.353577821468751.1073741829.100004496084657&type=3&theater
wpDiscuz
Disgusting. Will fina do anything about anything ever?
That’s not fair. FINA did something by banning the “Lochte turn”.
So while steroids are apparently fair game, at least they shut down innovative swimming technique.
Lol
what a shame
proud of what? what does she mean with that?
Is someone else, I think her mother, responding to her saying they are proud and relieved. That would be my guess. I hope she kicks the sh**t out of Ruta.
oh ok thanks. just leaves the question what her mother or anybody could be proud of concerning this ‘!$%&§…
and you must be trolling about ruta.
I think i’m gonna be sick…
This is a tragedy, an outrage, unjust, unfair, disappointing, defeating, immoral, corrupt. Did I forget anything ? Down with FINA. This organization is useless and needs total reform.
The only possible justice here will be the spectators booing her on the blocks and, perish the thought, on the podium should she be awarded a medal. FINA needs to be replaced. All of the top swimming nations who are commited to the concept of fair/clean competition should form a new international swimming federation and run their own world championships. International meets without those countries would be a joke. The cheaters need to be banned from the sport. FINA/IOC/CAS are run by a collection of spineless administrators.
Booing her on the block would be childish and pointless. If the roles were reversed and this were say… Ryan Lochte or Michael Phelps….. Than the USA would have taken care of all this a long time ago and made it go away (not saying they have ever taken anything). Just that if the roles were reversed, many of the haters on this website would become hypocrites.
Totally with you here for not booing
You’re sadly right on the money with regards to hypocrisy. Its often rather a black comedy to observe those who loudly proclaim zero tolerance undertake the most amazing verbal gymnastics when it comes to one of their own. Not all, mind you, but an overwhelming majority.
An outcome like this was always going to be on the cards given the 3 week lagtime between the release of the McLaren Report & Rio opening. Much as FINA, IOC & the like deserve an ignominious demise; they were in essence handed a box full of live grenades and no time to work with. If anything, WADA should bear enormous responsibility as it appears its internal politics were responsible for at least part… Read more »
LOL. Your actual assessment is that if Phelps or Lochte were proven to be cheaters, USA swimming would be able to get them out of it, and people on SwimSwam would still support them? *Facepalm*
People on this site would not be hypocrites. You think people in America still worship Lance Armstrong? Or perhaps you can go find us a picture of Barry Bonds’ bust in the baseball HOF. He’s the all time Home Run leader.
It might make you feel better to imagine that this is just some sort of national pride thing, but the reality is that PEOPLE DISLIKE CHEATERS OF ALL NATIONALITIES.
There is a reason they are in positions of power and you are just some commenter on a swimming news website.
…and the Russian 7 all get to swim. Just like we all feared and expected.
The IOC will never recover their credibility. FINA — they’re FIFA light. Equally corrupt, just the money isn’t as good.
Who cares? They will test her at the olympics, the same as everyone else. What does it mean to be the best if the best aren’t competing?
A better question is what does it mean when not a single swimmer from a national federation that flouted systemic doping and fraudulent drug tests is barred from the event that is supposed to celebrate the ideals of fair play and sportsmanship?
Think about that.
If the anti-doping agencies were to do their job correctly this upcoming week then we shall see. For the people who tested positive and served their sentence, it should be fair game and should be allowed to compete. I will say that the people who are getting off scot-free should be barred from competing. People make mistakes, it shouldn’t haunt you forever??? The olympics is about the entire world coming together….. trying to outcast one specific country or anyone who has ever been caught doing something they shouldn’t is flat out wrong.
You are so right. It’s refreshing to read comments from someone who can think and not brainwashed by the media as majority who left comments here.
Brainwashed? Sell that somewhere else. To be clear Efimova was once sanctioned and served her suspension. This isn’t an instance of double jeopardy. We now also know that Yulia used meldonium after it was banned. Absolutely and positively: she tested for higher levels of meldonium in the second test after the first positive test in early February. She yielded the benefits of WADA’s stupidity to not impute levels which would flag positive after Jan 1st, so the arbitrary Dec 31st cutoff became moot. That isn’t the same thing as her being less guilty the second time.
We also know Yulia competed at numerous events, including Kazan in 2015, where samples were pulled and fraudulently switched. I don’t believe it was… Read more »
“We now also know that Yulia used meldonium after it was banned. Absolutely and positively: she tested for higher levels of meldonium in the second test after the first positive test in early February.”-
May I ask where did you get this information from? I mean the second test. Besides, Kazan 2015 competitions were not mentioned in McLaren report, perhaps you supposed to write about Kazan 2013. Please, be accurate -this is how new story can be launched.
U are not for real dude …..
Oh, the classic “I should not have to suffer for my mistakes forever” line. The problem with your rhetoric is that you fail to understand the definition of “mistake.” She had poor judgement and broke the rules. There’s no mistake there as it was intentional.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking the Olympics is about countries coming together either unless its to compete with each other athletically. The Olympics have been a political and monetary tool for a long time now.
Thank You!! Using a drug once might be a mistake but repeatedly using something that you know is banned to gain an advantage is no mistake it’s a choice and if they choose to cheat then they should be banned for life. Nothing worse than rewarding bad behavior.
If you think testing at the games is the solution you clearly know nothing about performance enhancing drugs.
Dopers have been cycled off for probably 6 weeks minimum prior to the games.