Olympic medalist Michael Phelps smokes marijuana · 2009-02-02 12:43
The British tabloid News of the World published swimmer Michael Phelps' new photo. The gold Olympic medalist was smoking a marijuana pipe!
It was on November 6, weeks after his Beijing triumph, that 23-year-old Phelps surprised students at the University Of South Carolina in Columbia by showing up unannounced at a house party.
He was visiting Jordan Matthews, a girl he was secretly seeing who was a student there, the newspaper informs.
Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, blames bad judgment and apologized for his behavior.
According to WFIE-TV, USA Swimming and the U.S. Olympic committee issued statements showing their unhappiness.
USA swimming says: "We are certainly disappointed in Michael's behavior. Our Olympic champions are role models who are looked up to by people of all ages, especially young athletes who have their own aspirations and dreams."
The statement from the U.S. Olympic committee reads: "We are disappointed in the behavior recently exhibited by Michael Phelps. Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people. In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities. Michael has acknowledged that he made a mistake and apologized for his actions. We are confident that, going forward, Michael will consistently set the type of example we all expect from a great Olympic champion."
The photo will not lead to doping sanctions for the Olympic swimmer but it could endanger his participation in a U.S. Anti-Doping Agency program aimed at helping athletes prove they compete drug-free, USA Today reports.
"We'll evaluate it," U.S. Anti-Doping Agency chief executive officer Travis Tygart said Sunday.
• Mickey Rourke is too old for Evan Rachel Wood
• Bar Refaeli to be body of M&S Valentine's lingerie
|