Michael Phelps, widely regarded as the greatest Olympic athlete in history, who ruled the swimming world during his peak years, has made his views on doping penalties abundantly clear.
He demands strict consequences.
“Once you test positive, you should be permanently barred from competing again, plain and simple,” Phelps stated. “I stand by a one-and-done policy.”
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Former Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps is interviewed on the pool deck ahead of the evening session at the Summer Olympics, July 28, 2024, in Nanterre, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Phelps’ remarks on Monday surfaced as the swimming community grapples with the fallout from the Chinese doping scandal that emerged shortly before the Paris Olympics.
The World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics revealed that 23 Chinese swimmers had tested positive for a prohibited substance prior to the Tokyo Olympics yet were still permitted to compete. Reportedly, the positive results were attributed to contaminated food.
This reasoning has not been well received by other athletes, especially since nine of those swimmers secured medals as part of teams in Paris.
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Michael Phelps holds the U.S. flag after the podium ceremony of the men’s swimming 4×100-meter medley relay final at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Aug. 13, 2016. (MARTIN BUREAU/AFP via Getty Images)
“If some athletes are not subjected to the same rigorous testing, I have a significant issue with that because it undermines the fairness of the sport,” Phelps mentioned. “If you’re willing to take that risk, then you have no place here.”
Phelps recounted that he underwent additional testing during periods when he faced allegations of dishonesty.
“I was called a cheater throughout my career,” Phelps said. “I chose to submit to more testing — both blood and urine — on a weekly basis. Why? So I could prove that I’m not cheating, that I’m clean, and I have the results to back it up.”
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Former U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps attends the men’s golf individual stroke play of the Paris Olympic Games on Aug. 1, 2024. (EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP via Getty Images)
“I did it the right way,” he emphasized. “I earned 23 Olympic gold medals without cheating. It is achievable.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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