Michael Phelps caught smoking weed.

Phelps, who won an amazing eight medals for the United States at the Beijing Olympics, was snapped inhaling Marijuana last November at a party at the University of South Carolina - the 'News of the World' printed the shot yesterday.
According to the British newspaper, the swimming star flirted with girs and drank beer at the party. A fellow guest offered Phelps a glass bong and he started inhaling the marijuana. A source told them : “You could tell Michael had smoked before. He grabbed the bong and a lighter and knew exactly what to do. He looked just as natural with a bong in his hands as he does swimming in the pool. He was the gold medal winner of bong hits.”
The newspaper also revealed that Phelps' management had bargained with them not to print the photo: “ Spokesman Clifford Bloxham offered us an extraordinary deal not to publish our story, saying Phelps would become our columnist for three years, host events and get his sponsors to advertise with us.”
Phelps (23), who has won 14 gold medals in his career admitted to smoking the bong, and made a public apology: “I engaged in behaviour which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgement."
It is not the first scandal to hit the young sports star. Phelps was arrested in 2004 for drink driving and was on parole for 18 months. After his triumph in Beijing he grabbed headlines for his outrageous lifestyle: Gambling in Las Vegas and flirting with a stripper. After this latest drugs scandal – could this be the end for the Olympic king?
His cannabis hit could lose him his sponsorship deal with Kellog’s cornflakes, but it shouldn't affect his career. Lawyer and Doping expert Dr. Michael Lehner told BILD that the drug-related ban “is only for competition periods. He can’t be booked for a private offence”.

I wouldn't mind blazing with phelps! BTW did you see the watch on that guy? )

USA Swimming suspends Phelps for 3 months

By PAUL NEWBERRY, AP Sports Writer 30 minutes ago

Michael Phelps was suspended from competition for three months by USA Swimming, the latest fallout from a photo that showed the Olympic great inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

The sport’s national governing body also cut off its financial support to Phelps for the same three-month period, effective Thursday.

“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,” the Colorado Springs-based federation said in a statement.

“Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust.”

Phelps won a record eight gold medals in Beijing and returned to America as one of the world’s most acclaimed athletes. Now he’s enduring a wave of bad news in the wake of the photo, published Sunday by News of the World, a British tabloid.

Earlier Thursday, cereal and snack maker Kellogg Co. announced it wouldn’t renew its sponsorship contract with Phelps, saying his behavior is “not consistent with the image of Kellogg.” The swimmer appeared on the company’s cereal boxes after his Olympic triumph.

“Michael’s been through a lot and he’s learned a lot, hopefully,” his coach, Bob Bowman, told The Associated Press during a telephone interview. “I support him and I want to see him do better. I’m here, as always, to try to help him move forward. He’s learned some tough lessons and he’s disappointed a lot of people, me included.”

Phelps has acknowledged “regrettable” behavior and “bad judgment.” He didn’t dispute the authenticity of the photo, reportedly taken at a house party while Phelps was visiting Columbia, S.C., in November during an extended break from training.

“I certainly understand USA Swimming needed to take action,” Bowman said. “We will certainly abide by everything they’ve put down.”

The 23-year-old has resumed training in his hometown of Baltimore, but his plans to return to competitive swimming will have to be put on hold. Phelps had planned to compete in early March at a Grand Prix meet in Austin, Texas.

Now, he won’t be able to compete until early May, which would give him a little more than two months for some racing before July’s world championships in Rome.

“This is the result of a poor decision Michael made. He understands there is accountability and has pledged to not repeat this in the future,” U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said in an e-mail. “We have offered our assistance to make certain he is as consistent and successful away from the pool as he is in it, and we are confident that will happen.”

After the suspension, Phelps would be able to compete at a May meet in Charlotte, N.C., and there’s another Grand Prix competition in Santa Clara, Calif., the following month. The U.S. team for Rome will be chosen at the national championships, which begin July 7 in Indianapolis.

“He’s been very good in practice,” Bowman said. “I think he feels good to be back in the water. Certainly, he’s not in very good shape.

“We’re anxious to get back to a really normal routine and we have. We’re moving on.”

Los Angeles sports writer Beth Harris also contributed to this report.

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