Three-time Olympic medalist Yuliya Efimova has become the first Russian swimmer to be granted independent neutral status by World Aquatics, opening the door for her to compete at the 2024 Olympics
Efimova declared her intention to apply for neutral status in April, though she said at the time that she would only pursue the Games if she felt as though a medal was within reach.
A few weeks after she said that, the 32-year-old competed at the Russian Championships in Kazan, clocking 1:07.43 in the 100 breast and 2:26.45 in the 200 breast, both short of the Olympic “Consideration Times” or ‘B’ cuts of 1:07.12/2:24.63.
In addition to being the first Russian swimmer granted neutral status, Efimova is also reportedly the first athlete in any of the major Olympic sports to do so, including gymnastics and track & field, along with diving.
Today, the first athlete from Russia out of any of swimming/diving/gymnastics/track and field has been granted neutral status to compete. That athlete is arguably the most well known active Russian (to an American Olympic audience) out of those sports. https://t.co/f6xFI429WI
— Nick Zaccardi (@nzaccardi) June 14, 2024
Initially, Russian swimmer Ivan Girev held neutral status, but he canceled it in April.
If she is to compete in Paris, Efimova will need to register a qualifying time outside of Russia prior to the qualification deadline of June 23.
Efimova, who has spent the better part of the last decade training stateside in California, won two silver medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio, doing so in both female breaststroke events. She also won bronze at the 2012 Games in the 200 breast.
Representing the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) at the Tokyo Olympics, Efimova placed 5th in the 100 breast.
She also competed at the 2008 Olympics as a 16-year-old, meaning if she is to make her way to Paris, she’ll become a five-time Olympian.
In addition to her Olympic success, she’s also a six-time LC world champion, winning the 50 breast in 2009 and 2013, the 100 breast in 2015, and the 200 breast in 2013, 2017 and 2019.
The IOC has placed conditions on Russian and Belarusian athletes’ participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, including a commitment to respect the Olympic Charter, including “the peace mission of the Olympic Movement” among other conditions. The IOC says that the Russian and Belarusian invasion of Ukraine and specifically Russia’s annexation of regional Ukrainian sporting organizations is a violation of the Olympic charter, a point that was upheld by the international Court of Arbitration for Sport earlier this year.
Individual athletes (but not teams) who compete with neutral status are allowed to compete, but they cannot attend the opening ceremonies and will not be mentioned in the medals table. Russia was officially barred from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games due to issues with the country’s anti-doping system, though the restrictions on participation in the last edition were much less than those imposed for the 2024 Games.
