Michael Phelps Admits Photo With Marijuana Pipe is Real

Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps was forced to apologize for a very embarrassing incident, after a photo in a British newspaper showed him inhaling from a marijuana bong pipe. Phelps did not dispute the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Saturday by the tabloid News of the World and released the following statement on Sunday, to the AP: “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. 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.”

News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina. Their sources said that Phelps was “out of control from the moment he got there.” The swimmer definitely has let his hair down after years of rigorous training that culminated in winning a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games. He has spent a lot of time in Las Vegas honing his skills as a poker player while dating a model/cocktail waitress. But Phelps recently began serious training for the London 2012 Olympics, so it’s mostly back to the grindstone now. This incident could hurt his standing with his sponsors but marijuana is viewed differently from performance-enhancing drugs, and is not subject to WADA sanctions unless a positive test that occurs during competition periods.

The U.S. Olympic Committee said it was “disappointed in the behavior recently exhibited by Michael Phelps,” who was selected the group’s sportsman of the year.

“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,” the USOC said in a statement. “In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities.”

Phelps was part of a group of elite athletes who agreed to take part in a pilot testing program designed to increase the accuracy of doping tests. His spot in the program could be at risk, said Travis Tygart, head of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

“For one of the Olympics’ biggest heroes it’s disappointing, and we’ll evaluate whether he remains in that program,” Tygart said. “But some good education comes from this because he’s going to suffer some penalties.”