What a Dope
14-times Olympic gold medal winner Michael Phelps caught with cannabis pipe
THIS is the astonishing picture which could destroy the career of the greatest competitor in Olympic history.
In our exclusive photo Michael Phelps, who won a record EIGHT gold medals for swimming at the Beijing games last summer, draws from a bong.
The glass pipes are generally used to smoke cannabis.
And after sporting chiefs announced laws which mean four-year bans for drug-taking, Phelps’ dreams of adding to his overall 14 gold medal tally at the 2012 games in London could already be OVER.
Those dreams seemed the last thing on his mind when he puffed from the bong during two days of partying with students last November, a quiet time in the swimming calendar when athletes would not expect to get tested for drugs.
One party-goer who witnessed the star’s behaviour told the News of the World: “He was out of control from the moment he got there.
“If he continues to party like that I’d be amazed if he ever won any more medals again.”
Phelps’ aides went into a panic over our story and offered us a raft of extraordinary incentives not to run the bong picture.
Good for him, but it doesn't look like him. Pot isn't performance enhancing. He doesn't has a wife and kids to take care of. He should be kicking back and trying to figure out the next stage of his life. Swimmers do crazy hours in the pool and right now he's probably thinking to what end? His life has been overly controlled up until now. Weed isn't a long term answer, but he's gonna figure that out himself unless he was missused by his folks as badly as Todd Marinivich.
Good for him....... His life has been overly controlled up until now.
He's exploring what it's like to live a life outside of training. Allowing someone to take that photo seems like the bad judgement IMO.
We know he's "got gold" in his spirit. Maybe he'll be a gold medalist bong hitter now. :D
It isn't him though, right?
But it looks like such a trustworthy source of info...
It isn't him though, right?
We'll find out when Mr. Phelps and his attorney hold a press conference.
I wanna party with Phelps, but especially with [Franconia, NH-based gold medalist skier] Bode Miller.
I couldn't care less if he does or not, but it would be REALLY stupid to do it and get photographed in the act. [COLOR="Silver"](reminds self to find and burn all old pics)[/COLOR]
I wanna party with Phelps, but especially with [Franconia, NH-based gold medalist skier] Bode Miller.
Bode is living the dream.
I wanna party with Phelps.....
Promise us that you will have a photo taken and post it here! :)
I wonder if he can use that pic on the next box of Wheaties.
I don't care if he smokes dope, but like all other sports stars, he's a role model, and that's where my concerns lay.
He admitted it.
Eh, who cares? Non-story.
Non story, except use of illegal drugs, performance enhancing or not, could cost him his career.
Which is why he kowtowed to the media.
This is how the world works in the internet age. Do you really give a crap that he took a bong hit?
I don't...but we must think of the children, because we don't talk to them and everything they see on the internet becomes their personality.
I guess...
when you're an athlete of his calibure, muscles work overtime.
when you're not competing, it can get difficult to relax.
cannabis is clealry an assistant in relaxing the muscles, give the guy a break
Which is why he kowtowed to the media.
This is how the world works in the internet age. Do you really give a crap that he took a bong hit?
I don't...but we must think of the children, because we don't talk to them and everything they see on the internet becomes their personality.
I guess...
Stuff like this usually ends up becoming a topic of conversation between the kids and us.
Maybe I should thank Phelps for being a dick so I can have this very important conversation with my kids?
Bravo, Ali. That's what I mean. It's a great conversation...though I'm not sure partying at 23 constitutes being a dick.
:)
Well, the dick part was letting himself be photographed with a bong in the first place.
Even I managed to avoid that. ;) (just in case my mum ever saw)
eta: Our boys know that we've both smoked dope in the past. It's a subject we've discussed at great length with them. We try and instill a sense of 'time and place' ruling with them rather than the whole 'don't do that it's bad' stance which I think is what fucks up a lot of parents.
I totally agree. What kind of people is he hanging out with who would do this...for some fame, or some kind of vengeance?
You really do have to be more diligent in your activities when you are under the scrutiny of the public eye. However, I can't imagine that kind of fame that early, so who am I to say?
Yeah...he's a superstar, and you'd have to think one of the most recognizable faces in the world after the recent olympics.
Everyone makes errors in judgement. I don't think he should be punished. I reckon he should spend a bit of time figuring out who his mates are though.
Great point. You have to trust your friends...not just ride out the superstar thing. Hopefully he's learned that lesson.
Non story, except use of illegal drugs, performance enhancing or not, could cost him his career.
That was the story, thats the issue. Fair or not, he will lose millions and most likely his Olympic career.
In a real world, though, barring what Ali and I talked about...it SHOULD be a non-issue.
I'm not mad at him...I was 23 once. A lonnnnggg time ago. ;)
Yeah, I think he'll lose money in sponsorship or advocacy deals, but I doubt he'll lose his career.
Everyone has to pay for their mistakes one way or another.
Besides, he's already the best. Maybe he's sick of swimming and might decide this is the time to try something new. Most other 23 year olds are trying out new things.
Anyway, one of our top ex swimmers has done something even dopier if you ask me.
Ian Thorpe has long been the subject of speculation as to his sexuality and recently, in an effort to confirm his hetro status (it would seem) he claimed to have had sex with some other swimmer...only thing was, he didn't tell her about this supposed affair and she's denying it.
Really, who cares if he's gay anyway?
I'm not fussed about Phelps, but may the jerk that took and then shared that photo never be invited to any party ever again!
Three out of the last three presidents (of the US) either smoked pot or used cocaine.
Perhaps we should start there.
And as far as I am concerned, Phelps can do as he pleases with his own body. I know of a number of professional athletes who smoke pot.
My question about the photo is that it looks like they have put liquor in the bong. That is a decidedly bad idea. Either smoke pot or drink but doing both is not a good idea. They both lower blood pressure and in combination, they lower it quite a bit. Of course, it could be something else but usually if its not water, its some kind of alcohol.
Oh it's a ROOR. It's an extremely expensive German glass bong. Looks like it could be the second one on
this page.
I'm just glad there weren't camera phones and digital cameras around when I was a teenager... :eek:
this is a guy with one talent. and brains isn't it.
Kellogg to drop Phelps over pot smoking photo
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Cereal and snack maker Kellogg Co. (K) (K) says it will not renew its sponsorhip contract with Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps because he has acknowledged smoking marijuana last fall.
The Battle Creek, Mich.-based company said Thursday that Phelps's behavior - caught on camera and published Sunday - is "not consistent with the image of Kellogg."
The company put Phelps on boxes of its Frosted Flakes and Corn Flakes.
Phelps has kept the backing of many sponsors since the photos surfaced that showed him inhaling from a marijuana pipe.
Phelps's agent was not immediately available to comment.
Kellogg says its contract with Phelps expires at the end of the month.
They're missing a great opportunity: they should have a commercial where they set it up that he has the munchies, and he's wolfing down a giant bowl of Frosted Flakes.
Swim Star Phelps Banned Over Pic
The sport's national governing body also cut off its financial support to Phelps for the same three-month period.
Phelps acknowledged "regrettable" behaviour and "bad judgement" after a photograph in a newspaper showed him apparently smoking cannabis.
The News Of The World said the picture of Phelps inhaling from a glass pipe was taken in November last year during a party at the University of South Carolina.
The swimmer, who won eight gold medals in the Beijing Olympics, apologised to his fans and promised it would not happen again.
He said in a statement: "I engaged in behaviour which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgement.
"I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me.
"For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."
USA Swimming said in a statement: "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.
"Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust."
And it gets worse
So he smoked a little weed. He's 25 or something. Is it actually that big a deal? It doesn't affect his swimming performance (not doping), so in my mind, and from what I've heard around my campus, people my age don't think his behavior was completely out of line. He did something illegal---really...How many students in the United States illegally drink before they are 21, hmmm?
First Phelps. Now...
SUMO.
Muchies will give you that SUMO physique.;)
I totally agree. What kind of people is he hanging out with who would do this...for some fame, or some kind of vengeance?
No. For money. There's not much people won't do to someone else for money.