01 February 2009

Michael Phelps -- Eight Golds and A Bong



I guess having just won eight Olympic gold medals and become the greatest swimmer of all time was too much for Michael Phelps and he needed a little something to take the edge off and wind down.

The above photo of the superstar pulling back on a bong is being run by News of the World. The photo dates from November 2008. So, assuming he has not been smoking the wacky weed since then, then any drug test would be negative for THC.

Nevertheless, the photo is pretty incriminating. That said I have known people to pack cones with nothing more than tobacco and smoke them. So, maybe he can claim that it was just tobacco and he was fooling around.

Is the swimming career over?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi Rob,
Hopefully it was just tobacco.
By the way I will link your nice & informative site to mine.
Harry Nizam

Rob Baiton said...

Harry...

Somehow I don't think that it was.

I will return the linking favour.

tere616.blogspot.com said...

Are you sure Rob ?
Hopefully it was just tobacco.
Just wondering if someone been trained as an athlete, how come he can turn to "that" bong.

Rob Baiton said...

Tere...

I am not sure. I was not there. However, I would be leaning towards it being at least a mull mix of weed and tobacco. Although, I bloke with plenty of financial reserves could afford to just go for the wacky weed.

Just because you're an athlete does not mean that you do not do recreational drugs.

Tikno said...

As a public figure, especially in the field of sports, this story is very contradictory.

pj said...

This made cnn just yesterday.

Why do I feel glee when I see celebutard photos like this? Must be the evil cynic in me. Do the present doping testing screen for all drugs of just the performance enhancing ones? I can't see THC being performance enhancing unless perhaps you were to strap a pizza to one end of the pool.

The use or marijuana as recreational drug has been contraversial for some time. Mr Phelps certainly needs show better judgement in the future, not only in his recreational choices, but in his friends (and photographers!). I imagine that the sponsorship market is taking a plunge (bad pun intended) for ol' mike at the moment.

rani said...

the picture is not very clear. can somebody ask Roy Suryo to check whether it's real or fake? :D

Rob Baiton said...

Tikno...

Not quite sure what you mean here by contradictory.

I am an advocate for legalizing marijuana. I just do not see the point of categorizing it as illegal when other poisons like tobacco and alcohol are legal.

PJ...

Out of competition testing for THC is not done. In competition it is tested for and the sanctions are pretty severe.

I have been reading that the local sheriff is going to investigate and is thinking of charging Phelps for his little indiscretion. Apparently, it is a misdemeanor that attracts USD 500 in fines or a month in jail.

The sponsors though are not fleeing en masse. This probably says something about how we generally view the smoking of pot.

Rani...

Now that is very funny and witty. Normally, though you do not even have to ask Roy Suryo as he will voluntarily get himself involved (some might say, impose) in the issue.

dreamwalker said...

I don't fully understand what the fuss is about. I mean, right, he's an athlete. He's a role model. Weed is illegal. So he made a mistake. Don't get me wrong - I have no affinity for recreational drugs (aside from alcohol and cigarettes) but give the guy a break. He is a superathlete, not a perfect person (if there is even such a thing!).

Rob Baiton said...

Dreamwalker...

Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment.

It really is making a mountain out of a molehill. Yep, the wacky weed is illegal and he is a role model and all those things. But when it is all said and done it seems not to be something that is going to trigger the end of the world as we know it.

Anonymous said...

A few days ago I also saw a picture of Ian Thorpe looking fat and pot-bellied. It seems like he has left his glorious swimming days very far behind.

Whatever's happening to Australian swimming athletes??

Rob Baiton said...

Therry...

Did not see the photo so I cannot really say. The last news I read on the Thorpedo was something questioning his sexuality and his relationship with some Brazilian bloke he has been living with.

Who cares whether he is gay, the boy could swim and he has done Australia proud!