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Friday, February 6, 2009

Michael Phelps and the New Controversy



Michael Phelps is the latest casualty in the athletes vs. drugs saga. Many of you have heard by now that a picture of the Olympic medalist surfaced that showed him smoking a "water pipe". The resulting punishment? Phelps received a three month suspension from swimming. There are many ways to look at this incident:

1. Intolerance - marijuana is illegal and therefore he is wrong. He should know better.

2. He's not the only one - how could he be the only athlete that has used the drug?

3. The bright side - he didn't try to make up some story that he was smoking a legal substance or just fooling around for the camera.

4. Lucky - he was only given a three month suspension.

5. Apathy - it's nobody's business what he does in the off-season.

What do you think? Did he get off easy? Is the punishment fair? Is this minor?

6 comments:

Jan said...

I think it increases his believability. He could have said something stupid like that he didn't inhale.

Apryl DeLancey said...

Yeah, I'm so glad we didn't hear that one!

Doret said...

Its just weed. Though I am surprised he smoked not because its illegal but because he's a swimmer and their lungs are very important to what they do. Lets be honest swimmers don't have a long life span in the public eye anyway. They only show up every four years to be forgotten all over again

Apryl DeLancey said...

I was thinking the same thing about the lungs.

Lindsay said...

It was stupid and he admitted it. He disappointed a lot of people. But seriously, haven't most athletes smoked pot at some point? He can make his own decisions, although I'm glad he was suspended for awhile. It would've sent a bad message if he got away without any penalty.

I was really glad that he didn't try to deny it.

What were your thoughts?

Apryl DeLancey said...

I am also glad that he did not deny it. It would have been absurd to make up some "I didn't inhale" or similar story. I think it speaks to his character that he was willing to admit it and pay the consequences.