“I think I can honestly say in my whole career I don’t know if I have ever competed in a clean sport.”
Such were the words spoken by American Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian who is on his way to his 5th Olympic Games.
In light of the Russian scandal involving systematic, organized doping across multiple sporting disciplines, Phelps was asked about the general subject of doping at a Rio press conference this week.
“I will say the same thing I’ve always said and I think I speak for all the athletes as well, I want clean sports that is all.”
“We want everybody to be on the same playing field. For me I’m the only one I can control and I can control myself. That is all I focus on,” Phelps said, as recorded by Perth Now.
In terms of action needing to be taken, Phelps was clear that, “There is something that needs to change, but in all sports not just swimming. We have had this problem for how many Olympics now and how many times does this come up? It’s sad. That’s really what it is, it is really sad that we can’t control it. That somebody who was in charge cannot control this.”
Phelps’ longtime coach Bob Bowman concurred with his phenom swimmer’s point of view, saying, “But I would like to say from a personal standpoint, it’s very concerning to me that our governing bodies have dropped the ball in many ways on this.”
Bowman continued, “Our system is broken and it has to be fixed.”
However, the American duo states that the squad is in Rio to get the job done no matter the situation.
“From a team perspective we’re just focusing on getting the best performances that we can regardless of the circumstances,” states Bowman.
Does a negative test mean they were negative for banned substances but could be positive for substances not banned at the time ex Meldonium was just put on banned list in Jan but before some athletes were boosted by it legally
That’s correct, in the most accurate context, that’s what negative means.
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the Paul Biedermann. His immense time drop from 2008 to 2009 where he dropped over 4 seconds in his 200 free was beyond fishy. Was never able to swim that fast again after Rome
His body and stroke was perfectly suited to the supersuit era. His rise and fall coincided with that perfectly. I don’t think he was doping.
No one has. He was one of the best 200 freestylers in the world in 2009, and he’s still one of the best 200 freestylers in the world today. He just got a little more bump than most from the suits.
And he decided to wear a cap in 2009 as opposed to 2008… Definitely accounts for 4 seconds 🙂
I find it humorous that people jump on Michael in this article – but yet are silent on an article about the doping queen herself: Katinka Hosszu. Please people, get a grip. Michael has shown ups and downs his entire career – he’s one of the cleanest athletes this country and WORLD has.
Ye has passed all her tests as well. She is the cleanest athletes in the world too then
Katinka Hosszu might be doping, it’s true, but until she tests positive, you are just background noise. As for “one of the cleanest,” it’s not a spectrum, you’re either clean or you’re not. He’s cleaner than the people who have tested positive, he’s as clean as the people who have not. Saying “one of the cleanest” isn’t really accurate, IMO. Now, you could put all the athletes on a spectrum based on how many DUI’s they have. Bet he’d be on the higher end of that one.
And just cause I’m feeling like being difficult today, Olive Garden sucks.
Olive Garden does suck.
One point missing in this discussion is the enormous level of natural talent and God given body structures these athletes have. Doping doesn’t achieve that. Not to mention their work ethics, which is slowly disappearing from youth sports due to the explosion of social media and gaming usage that saps the idea and notion of training hour after hour for an end of season minutes or less race. I, for one, don’t give a damn if elite athletes are looking for ways to help their recovery time. Most of the pundits, especially baseball writers, have never been an elite athlete
Be taking things not yet banned
Amy Van Dyken
Why are they allowing Hosszu, Larkin, Seebohm and Gatlin to compete in Rio?
Hosszu, Larkin and seebohm?!?!? Lol what
“I just wonder how these swimmers like Hosszu, Seebohm or Larkin can swim best times or close to best times almost each time they swim.
Same questions about someone like Gatlin on track who can run times in the 100m about 9.80 every week from May to September.”
https://swimswam.com/mitch-larkin-breaks-world-record-in-200-backstroke-scm-race-video/#comment-386769
Is it not a legit question?
What do you think?
Everyone knows it takes PEDs to breach the top times in 100M. We are ignorant if we think otherwise.
You are clearly on point with these suspicions imo….
Go watch the troubles with Testosterone in Track and Field in back in the day… go talk to top track athletes no longer competing to care about the politics of it. Either they are naturally gifted at recovery and built mechanically to move fast or the lless fortunate take enhancements.
He was suspended for doping in 2008 i believe thats why he wasnt there. Now he is supposedly clean
A college coach told me once that swimmers should cheat where ever possible …,meaning where the officials could not possibly see (i.e. illegal kicks). The argument was everyone does it and if you don’t cheat you can’t keep up. The same argument was made by Lance Armstrong…he had to take drugs to keep up with the rest. That mindset does exist. But I probably would not go around accusing anyone without proof.
Completely agree, i was approached by a teammate and my coach to take PEDs to be faster. They said everyone does and you re crazy not to. Back then creatine was banned. These swimmers take stuff before its on the list then switch to the next best thing once it is on the list. Michael i am on the fence, his work ethic is crazy 100,000 yd/mtr weeks and the sets he and Bob do are crazy! I think asthma meds and ADHD meds help, funny so many National level swimmers have these conditions. When i was asked to provide my list they did a double take cuz i put none. Lol. Personally i think its too late, might as… Read more »
He said he would like everybody to be on the same plaYing field. But Mike, how can you have a challenge, which you like, if nobody dopes and they can’t keep up with you?
Are you saying that Chad Le Clos doped?
My first look at his big swims – yes. Doped. Again minimal Natural develoment, monsterous endurance without much muscle mass typically needed for the speed he has. Come on??? Compare the build of Phelps, Le Clos, Milorad Cavic, etc to Le CLOS and his meticulously fine tuned technique. Oh wait he doesn’t have that.
Its a VERY unfair sport, you are either genetically gifted or these athleted dope. We all know at least that first point is true… so why not accept the latter?
Sarcasm is dead remember?
I believe the ONLY reason Phelps lost to Chad was because he was not trained well. His swim was much more impressive. I would like to see Chad go 1:53.01 in bad shape.
Everybody here needs to calm down… it was a humorous compliment.