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TOKYO – After losing to Russian swimmers in two races at the Olympics, American backstroke star Ryan Murphy said on Friday that doping remains a huge problem in the sport and he is wondering if all of his competitors are clean.
Appearing to target a country that has repeatedly broken doping rules, Murphy revealed his frustration after winning the silver medal behind Evgeny Rylov in the 200-meter backstroke.
It came three days after Murphy – who swept the backstroke events at the Rio 2016 Games – settled for a bronze in the 100 backstroke. In this race he hit both Rylov and another Russian, Kliment Kolesnikov.
“It’s a huge mental drain for me to hear that I’m swimming in a race that is probably not clean,” said Murphy. “This is what it is.”
But later at a press conference with fellow medalists Rylov and Briton Luke Greenbank, third, said he was not accusing the Russian of doping.
“I have to be clear,” he said. “My intention is not to make allegations here. Congratulations to Evgeny, congratulations to Luke. They both did an amazing job. They are both very talented swimmers. They both train very hard and they have great technique.
Rylov, who has long been one of the best bibs in the world, has denied being involved in doping programs.
“I have always been for clean competition,” he said through a translator. “I am tested. I fill out all the forms. I am for clean sport. I have devoted my whole life to this (sport).
Rylov didn’t feel like he was the butt of Murphy’s frustration, even after beating him twice in Tokyo. The Russian is a two-time 200 backstroke world champion and he also managed a 100-200 sweep at the 2019 championships.
“Ryan has every right to think like he does and to say what he does,” said Rylov. “He didn’t accuse me of anything. That’s why I have nothing against him.
Russia has been the biggest target in the anti-doping movement after revelations that it launched a massive state-sponsored program to evade testers ahead of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi.
The country was forced to send exhausted teams to the last two Olympics, and those who competed in the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Games have been called OAR – Olympic Athletes From Russia.
Then, just as Russia appeared to be tightening relations with the rest of the world, other anomalies emerged from the records of the Moscow anti-doping laboratory.
World Anti-Doping Agency investigators found evidence removed and false information added, including bogus messages designed to tarnish the name of WADA’s star witness, former laboratory director Grigory Rodchenkov.
The new revelations resulted in a four-year sanction against the country, but Russia has denied any wrongdoing and the sentence was halved by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
After Murphy’s comments, the Russian Olympic Committee released a scathing statement on social media claiming that his country was the victim of “propaganda in English” spread by “athletes offended by defeats.”
“Yes, we are here at the Olympics. Absolutely right. Whether someone likes it or not, ”the statement said.
“You have to be able to lose. Not everyone has this gift.
Most Russian athletes were allowed to compete in Tokyo, even though they officially represent the Russian Olympic Committee, not their country.
Critics have pointed out that the punishment lacks real bite, as the Russian teams wear all the national colors. Their flag is banned and their national anthem cannot be played at medal ceremonies, but they receive music from the Russian composer Tchaikovsky.
Two Russian swimmers, Alexandr Kudashev and Veronika Andrusenko, were initially banned from competing in Tokyo by world governing body FINA due to evidence gathered from the Moscow lab.
But, just days before the opening ceremony, CAS authorized the two swimmers to participate in the Olympics.
Andrusenko competed in four events in Tokyo, while Kudashev participated in two races. Neither of them won a medal.
After his victory in the 200 IM, Chinese Wang Shun was asked about doping. Swimmers from his country were embroiled in a mass doping scandal in the 1990s, and China’s best-known swimmer Sun Yang was banned from the Tokyo Games for a doping violation.
“The Chinese are against doping,” Wang said through a translator. “We have zero tolerance in this regard. “
When asked if the sanctions against the Russians were sufficient, Murphy said: “When I am asked a question like this, I have 15 different thoughts – and 13 of them would cause me a lot of trouble. “
“I believe there is doping in swimming,” he added.
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