Michael Phelps says dopers shouldn’t be allowed to compete

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – Olympic superstar Michael Phelps on Monday, August 8 (Tuesday, August 9) said drug cheats shouldn’t be allowed back into sport after doping rows clouded the opening days of the Rio Olympics.

Phelps said “it breaks my heart” after controversy over athletes who have previously failed drugs tests broke out at the Rio swimming competition.

“You’re probably going to see a lot of people speaking up more. I think something needs to be done,” said Phelps.

“It’s sad that today in sports in general, not just only swimming, there are people who are testing positive who are allowed back in the sport – and multiple times.

“It breaks what sport is meant to be and that’s what pisses me off.”

Phelps was speaking after young teammate Lilly King made it clear she didn’t think Russian Yulia Efimova should be competing in the Rio Games.

King backed up her comments with a 100m breaststroke victory over world champion Efimova, who has served a 16-month steroid ban but was allowed to swim in Rio despite testing positive for meldonium this year.

“I believe sport should be clean and sport should be on an even playing field, and I think that it’s sad that in sports today we have people who are testing positive not only once but twice and still having the opportunity to swim at this Games,” Phelps said.

“It breaks my heart and I wish somebody would do something about it.”

Australia’s Mack Horton also taunted Chinese swimmer Sun Yang about his drugs ban in 2014, drawing a furious response from Chinese officials and media. – Rappler.com