Russian Yulia Efimova breaks down in tears after losing to Lilly King

“I understand the people who didn’t congratulate me because the media was full of fake stories about me”, Efimova, 24, said, according to Russia’s Tass agency in Rio and as cited by The Guardian.

At an awkward news conference alongside Efimova, the 19-year-old King said: “I do think it is a victory for clean sport and just to show that you can do it while. competing clean your whole life”.

Yulia Efimova is firing back at competitors who criticized her role in the Russian doping scandal. “I’m here to compete clean for the United States”.

Lilly King may have pulled off a feat in the Olympic 100 meter breaststroke that’s equal to Babe Ruth’s “called-shot” home run in the 1932 World Series.

Evansville’s Lilly King was only fifth in her 200-meter breaststroke qualifying heat Wednesday but still managed to slip into the Rio Olympic semifinals tonight.

“That’s why I’m so upset that I didn’t manage it, I knew that lots of people were counting on me”.

Ms Efimova served a 16-month ban for taking banned steroids in 2013 and testing positive for meldonium this winter, but managed to argue her way back into the Olympics at the 11th hour.

After the event King was again asked about her feelings on doping in the sport, and she doubled down on her earlier comments, as she refused to hold a double standard for fellow Team USA members Justin Gatlin and Tyson Gay.

In scenes rarely witnessed at an Olympics, Efimova was jeered by the crowd in Rio and after narrowly losing the gold to King on Monday, chants of USA USA echoed around the Olympic Aquatic Stadium. “They were glad I spoke out and I had the guts to say that and I appreciate their support”. Neither did another swimmer who has won more Olympic medals than anyone while competing clean. When it was all over, she ignored Efimova in favor of a splashy celebration.

“This is another round, but I think we will survive it”, he told Reuters in an interview.

King made comments and gave a finger-wagging gesture towards Efimova after the women’s semi-final race on Sunday, suggesting that Efimova was questionable after previous doping bans. “Now I feel really happy as after everything, it is a good time and it’s the best I can do right now”.

Efimova’s move to draw Phelps into a doping controversy will no doubt rile the American camp, who have been vocal in condemning drug cheats at these Games.