Olympic swimming legend Phelps apologises after being pictured smoking a drug pipe

Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps has apologised after he was pictured apparently smoking marijuana at a party.

• The 23-year-old, who won a total of 14 gold medals, was shown inhaling from the type of glass pipe used to smoke cannabis.
• A brief International Olympic Committee statement read: ‘Michael Phelps is a great Olympic champion. He apologised for his inappropriate behaviour.
• ‘We have no reason to doubt his sincerity and his commitment to continue to act as a role model.’
• Smoking cannabis out of competition is not an offence under the World Anti-Doping Code and athletes who are resting or in training are not tested for the substance because it is not regarded as performance-enhancing.
• However, the picture will not have gone down well with his sponsors, who include worldwide companies including Visa, Omega and Speedo.
• Octagon, the management company for the world’s most successful Olympian, tried to prevent the publication of the damaging picture.
• Although he stopped short of admitting to using cannabis, Phelps yesterday issued a statement apologising for his ‘regrettable’ behaviour and for having ‘demonstrated bad judgment’.
• The statement read: ‘I engaged in behaviour which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment.
• ‘I’m 23 years old and, despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry.
• ‘I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again.’
• The United States Olympic Committee (USOC), which last month named Phelps its sportsman of the year for 2008, admitted they were disappointed in the swimmer
• ‘We are disappointed in the behaviour recently exhibited by Michael Phelps,’the statement read.
• ‘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 fulfil those responsibilities.
• ‘Michael has acknowledged that he made a mistake and apologised 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 photograph is said to have been taken at a party at the University of South Carolina in November.
• USA Swimming, the sport’s governing body in America, followed the USOC by saying it hoped Phelps could move on from the bad publicity.