Michael Phelps Caught Puffin’ On A Bong
14-time Olympic Gold Medalist Michael Phelps is finding himself in hot water this weekend as new party photos of the Olympian have made their way to the Internets … the most damaging photo seems to show the überathlete smokin’ down on a humungo water bong. It is widely known that bongs of this nature are used to smoke marijuana, cannabis, mary jane, dope, etc. — which is disallowed by the Olympic Games governing body. Tsk, tsk. Here, courtesy of News of the World, is a photo of Michael Phelps that appears to show him puffin’ down on said bong:
THIS is the astonishing picture which could destroy the career of the greatest competitor in Olympic history. In our exclusive photo Michael Phelps, who won a record EIGHT gold medals for swimming at the Beijing games last summer, draws from a bong. The glass pipes are generally used to smoke cannabis. And after sporting chiefs announced laws which mean four-year bans for drug-taking, Phelps’ dreams of adding to his overall 14 gold medal tally at the 2012 games in London could already be OVER. Those dreams seemed the last thing on his mind when he puffed from the bong during two days of partying with students last November, a quiet time in the swimming calendar when athletes would not expect to get tested for drugs. One party-goer who witnessed the star’s behaviour told the News of the World: “He was out of control from the moment he got there. “If he continues to party like that I’d be amazed if he ever won any more medals again.” Phelps’ aides went into a panic over our story and offered us a raft of extraordinary incentives not to run the bong picture. It was on November 6, weeks after his Beijing triumph, that 23-year-old Phelps surprised students at the University Of South Carolina in Columbia by showing up unannounced at a house party. He was visiting Jordan Matthews, a girl he was secretly seeing who was a student there. Our source revealed: “Michael came to visit Jordan but ended up just getting wasted every night. “He arrived with a group of girls hanging all over him. Jaws hit the floor when he walked in. You don’t get many celebrities in Columbia, so when Phelps comes to your party it’s a very big deal. “He didn’t know many people so you’d think he’d be a little shy. But he was loud, obnoxious and slamming beers from the get-go. “Every girl wanted a piece of him and every guy wanted to be his best buddy. He couldn’t get enough of all the attention.” As he basked in his hero status, Phelps knocked back beers and shots of spirits. And when a student offered him the glass bong engraved with red writing, he did not hesitate, says our source. The 6ft 4ins athlete, in a white T-shirt and navy cap worn back to front, clasped the device in his huge hands and inhaled deeply. Our source said: “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. Michael ended up getting a little paranoid, though, because before too long he looked like he was nervous and ran out of the place.” But the next night, Phelps was out partying again. The source added: “He was right back at it at Pavlov’s bar. “Like the night before he was holding court, throwing back shots two at a time and pouring drinks to every cute girl.” Drink has got Phelps into trouble before. In 2004, aged 19, he got 18 months probation for driving while under the influence. His wild behaviour is in stark contrast to the grim regime which took him to the top of his sport. He once described his life, saying: “All you do is eat, sleep, swim; eat, sleep, swim; eat, sleep, swim.” Last night Phelps’ management team and the sporting world closed ranks over the scandal. The US Olympics Committee, who have pledged to clamp down on drug use, refused to comment, as did USA Swimming and Phelps’ coach Bob Bowman. More surprising still was the World Anti-Doping Agency’s refusal to comment, given that they introduced the four-year ban on sport’s drug users. Phelps, who earned £4million last year in endorsements, has resumed training for the 2012 games. But there were fears about his commitment when, weeks after the bong incident, he began dating former stripper Caroline Pal. Phelps is represented by marketing giant Octagon, which works with huge brands such as Mastercard and HSBC. They admitted proven cannabis use would be “a major taint” on Phelps’ character. 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. In return, he asked that we kill Phelps’ bong picture. Bloxham said: “It’s seeing if something potentially very negative for Michael could turn into something very positive for the News of the World.” He stressed that the swimmer had taken 1,500 drug tests and never failed one. Until now?
To me, it really does look like Michael Phelps in this photo … especially if you compare it with a photo published by Star magazine that was taken at the same party, showing him face on (see that photo HERE). To be honest, I am not at all surprised that something like this might happen … with all the partying Phelps was SEEN doing in the weeks following the 2008 Summer Olympic Games, I’m actually relived that it’s only a bong that he got caught with. I’d safely wager that some of his celebratory behavior goes even beyond the alleged harmless use of marijuana. I’m sure we’ll be hearing from Phelps and his representatives about this matter very soon. I’m also sure we’ll be hearing from the Olympic committee in charge of drug testing on this new scandal. As far as missteps go, this one seems to be a fairly minor one (and much less damaging than his arrest for drunk driving) overall but depending on how the Olympic committee and the public at large views this infraction … it could turn out to be a very costly mistake for Michael Phelps.
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February 1st, 2009 at 7:34 am
A guy in his early 20s caught smoking pot is hardly a scandal. I know it’s all about the Olympics, but I just don’t understand why everyone makes such a big deal about weed.
But I digress. Best line of the whole article: “He was the gold medal winner of bong hits.” Hahahaha!!!
February 1st, 2009 at 7:57 am
Of course no one official is commenting on it! It’s a *picture*.
He can have as many bong pictures come out as he wants, but if he doesn’t fail his out-of-season drug tests, then they can’t do anything!
February 1st, 2009 at 8:06 am
OK, it was a complete lack of judgement on his part. But, guess what…he’s just a human being! Our society tries to put athletes on pedestals and it never works because they’re just like us and occasionally screw up. He’ll make bad choices and hopefully will learn from them. It’s just sad that after his truly stunning achievements, missteps like this could tarnish the his actual achievements.
February 1st, 2009 at 8:07 am
Kinda looks like Jason Whaler
February 1st, 2009 at 8:12 am
Wow. I think it is stupid that anyone is making a big deal about pot.
February 1st, 2009 at 8:17 am
Is that link supposed to be the same night… b/c he’s wearing a different coloured hat and tshirt in each photo…
February 1st, 2009 at 8:17 am
I agree with the previous commenters! It’s just pot?!
February 1st, 2009 at 8:45 am
that could definitely be someone else, it doesn’t totally look like him.
February 1st, 2009 at 8:54 am
@Selina — that’s a good point, tho, I suspect the companies that pay him for endorsements might have a problem with a spokesperson being associated with drug use, no matter how harmless.
February 1st, 2009 at 8:59 am
Meh.
February 1st, 2009 at 9:11 am
@Selina – So even if he’s not training and not participating in any competitions, they still drug test? I thought it was only when they’re about to compete..I guess the picture could screw up endorsements, but there’s no smoke in that bong and you can’t even see the weed! He could just say he was posing?? Or smoking tobacco? Oooorrr..Uhhh..Feh..He’ll get out of it..
February 1st, 2009 at 9:14 am
I wouldn’t be suprised if it were really him, but if you look at the “head on” picture of Phelps that Star has on it’s website, he’s wearing a different color shirt and hat than the purported pic of him w/his bong. So, it’s a little suspicious
February 1st, 2009 at 9:14 am
I agree with Jennifer and Meg. It doesn’t even look like him, and if it is, the photos are not even from the same night. I think that someone was trying to make him look bad for no reason, and unless someone can provide better pictures that prove it was him, IMO it’s just some stupid made-up scandal. And if it does come up as him, I will eat my words lol.
February 1st, 2009 at 9:38 am
Isn’t pot still illegal in most states? I think that is the big deal. Plus the olympics have their own policies, which I’m pretty sure illegal substances is a no-no and that includes pot. Plus he has million dollar endorsements and those companies at least expect him to be law abiding. I think he is very immature. When you have million dollar endorsement deals you do not do this in public. Have some descretion.
February 1st, 2009 at 9:46 am
Sorry trent but I don’t think that’s him that looks like it could be any other frat boy on the planet
February 1st, 2009 at 9:50 am
It might not be him but whomever it is, the guy is really tall..like Phelpsie. Remember, MP was caught drunk driving years ago so who knows. But smoking a bit of pot and driving drunk are two different things. I don’t think this would ruin his career but it is the endorsements that he would lose. Maybe because he didn’t have a father in his life, it affected him in certain ways? But his Mom is so supportive. She’d prob die if she saw this.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:00 am
According to news reports he has admitted it and issued and appology. So I guess that’s the end of it.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:01 am
If it is him I am disappointed.My children are big fans of him and this won’t look good for him as a role model.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:02 am
Amy – What reports are those?
February 1st, 2009 at 10:05 am
This was on my local Denver chanel. Here is the link
http://cbs4denver.com/national/Michael.Phelps.Olympics.2.923783.html
February 1st, 2009 at 10:08 am
passsss it here Phelps! :)
A few years back one of the Canadian Snowboarders tested positive for pot during the Olympics. They almost took his medal. However, since pot is not a performance based drug they gave it back. This shouldn’t be a big deal. There is no way that smoking anything helps you hold your breath and swim.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:09 am
edit:
should say “performance enhancing drug”….
February 1st, 2009 at 10:12 am
He is wearing a white hat and a black sweater in the link and in the bong picture he is wearing a black hat…just wanted to point that out.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:15 am
It’s him…he’s already come out and made a statement.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:20 am
I tried posting a link to his statement, but I guess the moderator doesn’t like it. So just go to CNN, they have it under their sports news.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:55 am
LOL oh brother.
Pot is nothing, point me out someone who’s in a high stress environment and are just trying to find an out who DOESNT smoke pot
February 1st, 2009 at 10:56 am
also foolish on his PR’s part, they should have LIED LIED LIED and then DENIED.
February 1st, 2009 at 10:56 am
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/more/02/01/phelps.marijuana.ap/index.html
there.
February 1st, 2009 at 11:00 am
weed needs to be legal. this country would be a much happier place.
February 1st, 2009 at 11:06 am
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/more/02/01/phelps.marijuana.ap/index.html
Here is the story
February 1st, 2009 at 11:08 am
I agree that it looks like Jason Whaler. Or whatever his name is.
February 1st, 2009 at 11:09 am
That doesn’t look like Phelps to me.
February 1st, 2009 at 11:26 am
Huge Lung Capacity equals Huge Munchies….Hey…Leggo of my Bongo ;p
if it is him….
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0006718/
February 1st, 2009 at 11:31 am
As long as he isn’t some major stoner, I don’t care. As long as he wasn’t high when he won his medals, what difference does it make. The man has a life, but thank god he didn’t get caught coke or something LOL. I still like him.
February 1st, 2009 at 11:36 am
I would be honored to have MP rip my bong! Whoever sold this photo of him is an asshole! He is allowed to be in his young twenties chillin out! He deserves a break!
February 1st, 2009 at 11:37 am
look at the ears, people. really? it’s him.
February 1st, 2009 at 12:19 pm
He admitted it. He has apologized for the incident but to be honest I don’t buy it. I guess smoking pot is a little bit more serious when the country was holding him up high with all these parades and commercials. He isn’t a regular college kid acting stupid. He was chosen to represent our country. He had to have known that to go after major Olympic glory like that then he would be expected to at least partially live up to his image. Anyone in a public role- even your teachers- are now told that the age we live in means anytime you do something stupid, then there will most likely be pictures.
February 1st, 2009 at 12:31 pm
Well, that was really stupid of him. And Laynie…there are plenty of us!
February 1st, 2009 at 12:50 pm
So when Phelps does drugs, it’s “Who cares, whatever.”
But when anyone else does drugs, like say, Amy Winehouse or Courtney Love, it’s “She needs to go to rehab. She needs to be locked up.” Or even Bill Clinton. Remember “I did not inhale.”?
No one is above the law and Phelps has special rules that apply to him because he is an Olympian. If he wants to compete at that level, he needs to abide by the rules. If (when) he wriggles out of that four year ban, I will be severely disappointed. Not because I want him to fail, but because he is no better than anyone else when it comes to the rules.
February 1st, 2009 at 1:21 pm
Whatever it’s not even a drug. People need to chill-the-eff-out. If he was hitting a crack pipe, then there’d be a story. :o)
February 1st, 2009 at 1:25 pm
Amy Winehouse and Courtney Love are in a separate category from ANY one, EVER. lol. You can’t take a picture of a kid hitting a bong and compare him those messes. Hahaha I love people.
February 1st, 2009 at 1:33 pm
haha, its so funny because I was actually paying more attention to his watch (bling) than the bong lol… I think its more like bongs and pot smoking is so… i dont know, several years ago? its not that big of a deal today.. it doesnt mean its still not a good thing to do (i disapprove of it unless for medicinal use), but regardless, still saw the watch first :P
February 1st, 2009 at 1:42 pm
@ K: Pot is too a drug, however…
@ Christine: There is a difference between Winehouse or Love doing heroin, and Phelps and Clinton smoking pot. And it was really only people who disliked Clinton making a big deal about his pot use decades earlier, if it was really such a big deal, he wouldn’t have won. Most people didn’t care. Not only is it less harmful to the user than stronger stuff, it’s less dangerous to others than even alcohol, which IS legal (it’s worth mentioning that I have smoke a few times,and may or may not again in the future, but I could really take it or leave it. And I do drink fairly regularly, but generally it’s just a drink or two, not to get completely monged). Weed also has medical benefits, which neither alcohol or other illegal drugs have.
February 1st, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Regardless of your personal feelings about the effects of marijuana or alcohol, marijuana is still illegal and banned for participants in the Olympics. If he wants to smoke up, fine, whatever. But don’t expect to be an Olympian then.
And for the record, I am all for legalization and I know the documented effects of weed, you don’t need to educate me. But just because “weed isn’t that bad” doesn’t mean you can break the rules.
February 1st, 2009 at 2:55 pm
lol taint.
February 1st, 2009 at 3:20 pm
How else would you expect the boy to put away 12,000 calories a day! This is training! ;-)
February 1st, 2009 at 3:25 pm
@ Christine:
I do agree that he should suffer the consequences in regards to the Olympics thing, just like I should if I were to smoke and then take a random drug test for work. However, you asked why people didn’t care about this as much as Amy Winehouse or Courtney Love’s drug use, and I explained why it wasn’t as big a deal.
Also, just because it’s illegal here in the States doesn’t mean the consequences are the same everywhere in the country. And I have no idea where he’s from, but if he doesn’t live in SC, he’s not going to be forced tocome back just so he can be arrested just because he smoked some ganja there.
February 1st, 2009 at 3:50 pm
You would think he would have learned his lesson after his drunk driving arrest. And in November there was still massive amounts of attention showered on him…and yet it sounds like he just flaunts his bad behavior. Not only is he doing something that regardless of what we thinks IS still very much illegal, but it comes across as hypocritical since he has made himself the poster boy of drug testing. Apparantly his concerns with drug testing only includes performance enhancing drugs and making the playing field fair, and not the related health risks. Being young is NOT an excuse. He is a role model, and he has repeatedly talked about assigning himself the goal of “furthering the sport of swimming” and making it a major sport on the level of football or baseball. Behaving responsibly and setting good examples regardless of your age comes along with that. He can’t have one and not the other.
February 1st, 2009 at 5:03 pm
Meh I don’t think it looks like him, the nose looks different. What’s next Katy Perry naked?
February 1st, 2009 at 5:39 pm
It’s just a bit of weed. Please…isn’t there bigger things to worry about…
I think ppl should be over the weed thing already…it’s 2009 ppl…can’t we all just be friends and share the freakin’ peace pipe already?! LOL!
February 1st, 2009 at 5:52 pm
Michael Phelps commented on it!
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gav61lYnY-W3nlJteKSkTVKT6buAD962TVMG1
February 1st, 2009 at 6:33 pm
Why has no one noticed that in the bong photo and the one of him straight are wearing completely different clothes. I guess he could have changed his shirt and hat, although I doubt it.
February 1st, 2009 at 7:03 pm
I’m with Marbeque – why has no one noticed not only are they wearing separate clothes but in one pic he’s got a chin-strap goatee and the other he doesn’t? I think it’s a fake – not that a 20 something shouldn’t smoke pot, I just don’t think the pics are real.
February 1st, 2009 at 7:21 pm
LOL marissa i totally agree!
in the epic words of chuck bass ‘’shut up, and smoke up”
February 1st, 2009 at 7:31 pm
lol the media makes such a big deal about pot, it’s only pot. People have been smoking pot for thousands of years and it’s not until stupid governments got involved that it started becoming a “bad thing” and they spread propaganda about it. If its SOOOOOO bad for you why is it acceptable in some countries and legal to smoke, even here in Canada it’s not such a big deal, in Vancouver there are “coffee shops”, and people smoked it for thousands of years before…and we still are here, no damage done? Get over the pot already, its just weed, alcohol is more damaging and deadly and there are way more bigger problems to worry about than some swimmer who is just acting his age and made a bad judgement on letting someone take a photo of him, it doesn’t even look like him in the photo???
February 1st, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Personally, he deserves to be punished and banned (which means missing out on the London Olympics).
But knowing the US, a big payout will be paid to the Olympic Committee to sweep it under the rug and let it go so that way the US get more medals and Phelps gets to take part at London because he will draw attention etc..
I can’t believe Trent, that you say you’re relieved its only a bong he was caught with. Yes he has probably done more illicit drugs between Beijing and now – and if so, pictures of him doing so deserve to be published. Being an Olympic swimmer he shouldn’t be touching any sort of drugs like this whether it be Marijuana or Cocaine. He knows the consequences & boundaries of being a so called “professional” so why doesn’t he take his career as an athlete seriously and not abuse the trust of the Olympic Committee, his team, country and his supporters and screw himself over and everyone else.
For a lesson well learnt, he should be penalized and if that means 4 years, then so be it, whether he is one of the greatest swimmers going around. If it was anyone else and NOT from America, they would miss out. Especially if it was an international rival then the Americans would make sure they were penalized.
February 1st, 2009 at 9:07 pm
If they dont let him into the olympics because of a fucking bong hit that is so unfair. Let him live. And whoever leaked the pictures is a huge douchebag.
February 1st, 2009 at 9:34 pm
Hittin a ROOR! Phelpsie’s got good taste.
February 1st, 2009 at 9:35 pm
he must knew that someone was taking this picture soo I don’t understand, why he didn’t react, I mean he must knew, that if the picture goes to the web people will go crazy… when you’re a famous person you need to be more careful… srry for my english ;)
February 1st, 2009 at 9:52 pm
Meh it is what it is. The kid won his medals fair and square without hitting the bong during the Olympics so what does it matter now? Granted he is probably a role model for young kids and that’s not good, but he’s a normal guy too and if he wants to get his party on… he admitted he did it and took responsibility for it so there you go… and there are no Olympics right now so the committee can’t really say shit…
February 1st, 2009 at 11:38 pm
look, this is not a scandal, nor should it be made into one. he deserves to hit the bong, if you ask me. at least he ain’t snorting coke off a hookers ass. there is nothing wrong with ganja. i wish people would just get over it already.
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:42 pm
That doesn’t even look like him..
February 2nd, 2009 at 9:44 pm
@Lisa — of course it’s him, he even apologized for it.
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:19 pm
wait…not only is he wearing a different color shirt and hat in both photos – but his goatee also seems to magically disappear…he could’ve totally argued that a bit more – it really does look like it could be some other guy – he doesn’t look that tall either! hmmmm
February 3rd, 2009 at 12:13 am
Perhaps the lesson to be learned here is that if you are going to partake in an illegal substance,,, Do it by yourself or with people you can trust. Not in the middle of a part or in public. And if some bitch takes a picture, you break their camera.
February 3rd, 2009 at 1:22 am
I’m from the towson area and it’s a well known fact to the local kids that Phelps is an absolute attention whore who expects to be treated like a god everywhere he goes. This latest mistake is no surprise at all due to his swimming success phelps expects to be treated like he’s better than everyone else so clearly the same rules should apply. Too bad someone didn’t explain to him that when you’re as successful as him your life is under a microscope. Whatever punishment he gets serves him right
February 11th, 2009 at 5:23 am
That doesnt look like him..