Phelps banned over bong-gate

Eurosport - Tue, 10 Feb 15:40:00 2009

Record-setting Olympic champion Michael Phelps has been banned for three months by USA Swimming amid controversy over a photograph published in the News of the World purportedly showing him smoking marijuana.

07/02 News Phelps - 0

Phelps's financial support has also been cut off for the same three-month period, the sport's national governing body said.

"This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero," the federation added.

"Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust," the statement said.

The photograph, said to have been taken at a November party at the University of South Carolina, was published by tabloid the News of the World last Sunday.

Phelps accepted the ban, saying he understood USA Swimming's "point of view", the swimmer's spokesman Drew Johnson said.

"He feels bad he let anyone down," Johnson added. "He's also encouraged by the thousands of comments he's received from his fans and the support from his many sponsors. He intends to work hard to regain everyone's trust."

Phelps has repeatedly apologised for the incident and said he may backtrack on his plans to compete at the London Olympics in 2012.

The International Olympic Committee said his apology was proof of his sincerity and world governing body FINA is also backing the embattled swimmer.

Phelps has won 14 career Olympic gold medals, making him the most successful competitor since the modern Olympics began 113 years ago.

Reuters

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  1. cara_hodge... you are brainwashed. Pot is a better drug­ that alcohol, stop your internal dialogue. Alcohol­ kills many more people a year than pot ever could, yet­ there wouldnt be such an uproar if Phelps was seen­ drinking a beer. The most that that bong could have­ done to him was get him hungry, mellow and sleepy.. a­ huge difference compared to the amount of children he­ could killed should he have been drinking alcohol and­ driving.

    From Karl, on Fri 6 Feb 1:42PM

  2. I would be much more worried if I had a role model who­ took steroids and trotted off to an olympics where they­ won the 100m, the long jump, the 200m then the 4x100m­ relay. Actually, I'd be really upset if I was a­ cycling fan and my role model was a guy who won the­ Tour de France seven consecutive years running all with­ the help of some performance enhancing drugs. Imagine­ that? Imagine how upset you'd be? Them doing those­ drugs that can damage your heart, lead to early death­ and can make you unpredictable and physically­ dangerous.

    If on the other hand my idol was a­ uniquely gifted swimmer who cleaned up at an olympics­ due to dedication and hard work as well as an enormous­ amount of talent, I'd be pretty happy. The fact­ that this idol took a drug that is banned not due to­ what it does to your health, but due to it being­ impossible to tax and regulate and because it's­ produced by some of the poorest countries in the world­ thus if it were legal, they could increase their GDP by­ large numbers thus easing them out of poverty, would­ sadden me.

    The reason why it would sadden me would be­ because someone thought they could make money out of­ taking a photograph of my idol smoking a 'drug'­ that should not be illegal.

    From Mark, on Fri 6 Feb 1:20PM

  3. guys weed is a lot safer than alcohol (do your­ research) and its legal to have sex with 12 year olds­ in some countries, maybe some of you should reconsider­ what guides you-is it facts or what people decide is­ the law?to be very simplistic if the law stated that­ you had to jump off a bridge would you do it?

    To be­ honest I would think that Phelps is a true role model­ for being brave enough to risk the fury of the narrow­ minded majority by doing it and having some fun.That­ and being an amazing athlete and all round nice­ guy.

    What is going on here is only one step above the­ church banning him for masturbating or something, its­ the same sort of narrow minded bs with no science to­ back it up.A guy wins 14 medals for his country in the­ most pretigeous competition and takes something safe­ and enjoyable while harming no
    one and then get­ condemned?He should swim for Holland instead they got­ there ideas right and I'm sure they wold be happy­ to let him live his own life.

    From PeterS, on Fri 6 Feb 12:38PM

  4. everyone shut up with this role model business.....hes­ good at what he does, thats all that matters. Kids­ choose their paths through mates at school and parents.­ Him smoking a bit isnt going to make a kid think­ "i know, i'll blaze a spliff and it'll­ make me a great swimmer!"...... seriously, all you­ haters need to get a life

    From lewis_maxwell_ford, on Fri 6 Feb 12:36PM

  5. cara_hodge - I DON'T TAKE DRUGS MYSELF AND­ CERTAINLY WOULD NOT CONDONE IT, MY POINT IS, YOU HAVE­ DONE EXACTLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WRONG IN­ MEDIA PORTRAYALS, YOU HAVE BOUGHT INTO AN­ "ILLUSION". THE MEDIA MADE HIM THIS­ "ROLE MODEL" WITH NO REGARD TO FAILINGS THAT­ EVERYONE - LET ALONE A 23 LAD -­ HAS......................HE WAS AND HOPEFULLY STILL IS,­ A DEDICATED ATHLETE. HE IS ALSO, A YOUNG LAD WITH AS­ MANY ASPIRATIONS TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE UNDER SUCH­ PRESSURES, AS HE IS TO WIN..................

    From ROCK AND ROLL, on Fri 6 Feb 12:30PM

  6. cara_hodge - I DON'T TAKE DRUGS MYSELF AND­ CERTAINLY WOULD NOT CONDONE IT, MY POINT IS, YOU HAVE­ DONE EXACTLY WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY IS WRONG IN­ MEDIA PORTRAYALS, YOU HAVE BOUGHT INTO AN­ "ILLUSION". THE MEDIA MADE HIM THIS­ "ROLE MODEL" WITH NO REGARD TO FAILINGS THAT­ EVERYONE - LET ALONE A 23 LAD -­ HAS......................HE WAS AND HOPEFULLY STILL IS,­ A DEDICATED ATHLETE. HE IS ALSO, A YOUNG LAD WITH AS­ MANY ASPIRATIONS TO LIVE A NORMAL LIFE UNDER SUCH­ PRESSURES, AS HE IS TO WIN..................

    From ROCK AND ROLL, on Fri 6 Feb 12:30PM

  7. sells a few extra newspapers lol

    From LARRY, on Fri 6 Feb 12:27PM

  8. @ kvbrock82, So i guess your shallow enough to follow a­ person that will as you say "taking a hit of a­ bong" but at the same time watch him stand up take­ the wage and sponsors money and press a total a zero­ tolernece drug policy wether its performance related­ drugs or recreational.So where does the line get­ drawn,
    Iam not doubting his abilty and or his­ achievements,Iam just saying its sad that someone thats­ is meant to be a posative role model to us kids as well­ as you adults gets cought in the act of doing the very­ thing he educates against

    From cara_hodge, on Fri 6 Feb 12:03PM

  9. What utter horsemanure... Phelps is one of the best­ athletes of all time and the fact that he was seen­ taking a hit of a bong should not be given so much­ coverage. So what, isnt he a 23 year old like everybody­ else?

    And whats all this from so many turds saying­ that they will no longer see him as a role model?
    Get­ a life, Seriously.

    From Karl, on Fri 6 Feb 11:52AM

  10. Well theres my illusion shattered,I believed there was­ real dedicated role models out there for us,Feel sad­ and let down,I bought into the whole Phelps modern day­ role model thing : (

    From cara_hodge, on Fri 6 Feb 11:43AM

  11. TRAINED ALL HIS LIFE TO BE THE GREATEST OLYMPIAN OF ALL­ TIME.............THE MEDIA MADE HIM AN ICON FOR THE­ YOUNG, HE DIDN'T, ALL HE WANTED TO DO WAS­ SWIM...................HE WENT OUT AND ENJOYED HIMSELF­ LIKE MOST OTHER KIDS DO AND LET OFF SOME WELL EARNED­ STEAM.............NOW HE'S A­ DEMON........................WHO ARE THE MEDIA TO MAKE­ AND BREAK SOMEONE OVER NIGHT................THE­ SC"M MEDIA WENT TO HIM FOR THEIR OWN GREEDY SELF,­ NOW THEY ARE FEASTING ON AN EVEN JUICIER­ STORY.......................................SC"M­ MEDIA JOURNOS WHO BREAK PEOPLE TO MAKE MONEY SHOULD­ HAVE THEIR SC"M LIVES HIGHLIGHTED, WITH ALL THEIR­ SEEDY FILTHY BACKHANDERS FOR­ HEADLINES...............OH, AND PHELPS, ENJOY YOUR LIFE­ TO THE FULL, BUT REMEMBER THERE IS ALWAYS SC"M -­ FRIENDS, RELATIVES AND MEDIA - OUT TO DESTROY AND MAKE­ FROM YOU...........

    From ROCK AND ROLL, on Fri 6 Feb 11:35AM

  12. wot about mr d chambers

    From Hugh G, on Fri 6 Feb 11:19AM

  13. leave the man alone. . .i bet the opposition hope he­ smokes a joint just before the gun... it is the only­ hope they've got of beating him

    From Imort, on Fri 6 Feb 11:11AM

  14. What about Amy Whinehouse, she's a proper smack­ head, and after that became public she got awards for­ fun, what sort of message does that send out to­ kids?

    So Phelps may have smoked a bit of pot,­ that's nothing compared to Whinehouse !!!

    From H, on Fri 6 Feb 11:10AM

  15. what a load of @#$%! leave the guy alone, he shouldnt­ be any kids role model.. thats down to their parents,­ not this guy.
    look at amy mess whinehouse, shes on­ smack but dont see nothing about her being a bad role­ model do we??

    From alex.austin, on Fri 6 Feb 10:55AM

  16. I should imagine Phelps will fail his next drugs test­ does that not carry a two year ban these day's ?

    From art_tidesco, on Fri 6 Feb 10:54AM

  17. As a role model he has responsibilities...he negated­ those and should pay the price. Simple. Its illegal and­ just cos he says 'sorry' its all ok eh. Yeah­ sure its only weed and you may smoke it...but you aint­ no role model are you!!!

    From Craig, on Fri 6 Feb 10:28AM

  18. realy sad

    From TAKUDZWA, on Fri 6 Feb 10:20AM

  19. SMOKE ON PHELPS, WEED IS GREAT

    From johncooney436, on Fri 6 Feb 10:12AM

  20. whats all the fuss about like??? he smoked a bit of­ pot, whoopty do! least he's not smackin up like­ thousands of other fools. the world is never gonna stop­ people from smoking marijuana.
    I cant, on the other­ hand, see why he should be banned and get his cash­ stopped for the 3 months, its like some form of­ stealing!!! And anyone who looks at him as a role model­ will either be too young to understand what he did and­ it doesnt matter, or, depending on how their parents­ have raised them, wont be following in his footsteps­ anyway.
    An awful lot of people are to quick to say to­ "they shouldnt do this, they shouldnt do­ that" everyone has a life that they can choose to­ do what they want in, he's got friends and his own­ personality.
    I for one will still be cheering on him­ when ever i watch him compete and will never think less­ of him for smoking a little marijuana

    From fairweather, on Fri 6 Feb 10:11AM
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