Source: China Daily

02-02-2009 09:28

Olympic great Michael Phelps acknowledged "regrettable" behavior and "bad judgment" after a photo in a British newspaper Sunday showed him inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

In this Aug. 17, 2008, file photo, United States'  Michael Phelps displays his eighth gold medal  after the men's 4x100-meter medley relay final  during the swimming competitions in the National  Aquatics Center at the Beijing 2008 Olympics in  Beijing. Phelps acknowledged 'regrettable'  behavior and 'bad judgment' after a photo in a  British newspaper Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009, showed  him inhaling from a marijuana pipe.[Agencies]

In a statement to The Associated Press, the American swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games did not dispute the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the tabloid News of the World.

"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said in the statement released by one of his agents. "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. During that trip, he attended one of the school's football games and received a big ovation when introduced to the crowd.

While the newspaper did not specifically allege that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the pipe is generally used for that purpose and anonymously quoted a partygoer who said the Olympic champion was "out of control from the moment he got there."

The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics while Phelps was taking a long break from training, and his actions should have no impact on the eight golds he won at Beijing. He has never tested positive for banned substances. The case is unlikely to fall under any doping rules.