Michael Phelps and Bob Bowman, star and head coach of the U.S. Olympic men’s swimming team, respectively, voiced frustration Wednesday with the lack of a solution to doping problems that continue to shadow the Games.
“We’ve had this problem for how many Olympics now? It seems every time it’s something that comes up,” Phelps said. “It’s sad. That’s really what it is. It’s really sad that we can’t control it, that somebody who is in charge cannot control this.”
Seven Russian swimmers were barred from the Olympics last week as a result of the country’s ongoing state-sponsored doping scandal; at least three have appealed the punishment.
Phelps, who will compete in his fifth Olympics next week, called the issue “upsetting.”
“I think I can honestly say as well that in my career I don’t think I’ve ever competed in a clean sport,” he said.
Bowman didn’t hold back, either.
“It’s very concerning to me that our governing bodies have dropped the ball in many ways on this,” he said. “The system is broken and it has to be fixed.”
