Perhaps the greatest Olympian off all-time, Michael Phelps, made a sensational claim during a congressional subcommittee hearing on anti-doping on Tuesday. In what will come as a shock to fans, the American said he believes he has never competed in an international race without at-least one doping cheat racing alongside him.
“I don’t believe I’ve stood up at an international competition and the rest of the field has been clean,” he said during the hearing, which was being held to discuss international anti-doping efforts. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt that and I know when I do stand up in the USA, I know we’re all clean because we go through the same thing. Throughout my career, I have suspected that some athletes were cheating, and in some cases those suspicions were confirmed,” said the 28-time Olympic medalist.
Phelps, who's won a record 23 Olympic gold medals said that he and his USA team-mates had to go to great lengths to make sure they were clean.
“Given all the testing I and others have been through, I have a hard time understanding this. In addition to the tests in the competitions, I had to notify USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) where I was every day so they would be able to conduct random tests outside of competition. This whole process takes a toll but it’s absolutely worth it to keep the sport free and fair," said Phelps.
The 31-year-old also demanded the same yardsticks be used for athletes from all countries.
“I can’t describe how frustrating it is to see athletes break through performance barriers in unrealistic time frames knowing what I had to do to go through that,” he said. “I watched how this affected my team-mates as well. Even the suspicion of doping is disillusioning for clean athletes.
“To believe in yourself through sport, you need to be able to believe in the system that safeguards clean sport and fair play. All athletes need to be held to the same standards which need to be implemented and enforced with consistency and independence," he concluded.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Swimming, michael phelps, Web Exclusive, doping, USA, Olympics, Gold Medal, American, Anti-doping, United States Anti-Doping Age")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}