Michael Phelps, the most decorated American Olympian in history, has made his stance on doping abundantly clear.
In light of a recent Chinese doping scandal, where 23 swimmers tested positive for banned substances ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, Phelps has reiterated his call for stricter anti-doping measures. These results were initially concealed and later attributed to tainted food. Nine of these swimmers — including Pan Zhanle, who set a new world record in the men’s 100 meter freestyle — went on to win medals in the Paris 2024 Olympics, prompting British star Adam Peaty to question the fairness of the competition.
Phelps echoed Peaty’s concerns, asserting that athletes who test positive should face lifetime bans from all competitions, according to Paul Newberry of The Associated Press.
“If you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again, cut and dry,” Phelps said. “I believe one and done.
“… If everybody is not going through the same testing, I have a serious problem because it means the level of sport is not fair and it’s not even.”
Michael Phelps waves to the crowd ahead of the night round of competition during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Paris La Défense Arena.
© Grace Hollars-USA TODAY Sports
Phelps, who has competed in five Olympic Games—Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008, London 2012, and Rio 2016—amassed an unprecedented 28 medals, including 23 golds, solidifying his legacy as the greatest swimmer and Olympian of all time.
Reflecting on his career, Phelps shared that he subjected himself to extra testing to prove his clean performance. Ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won a record eight gold medals, he underwent additional weekly blood and urine tests to dispel any doubts about his integrity.
“I did it the clean way,” Phelps said. “I won 23 Olympic gold medals the clean way. It can be done.”
Phelps has become an advocate for anti-doping, going as far as testifying before U.S. Congress recently. He called for a unified global testing system and reiterated his stance that athletes who test positive should face permanent bans.
