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Michael Phelps did not have the smoothest career. The legendary Olympic swimmer had his share of bumps along his path, including police arrests and suspensions from the US swimming team. Phelps has been arrested on DUI charges twice during the span of his career.
Phelps is lauded around the world as the most decorated Olympian of all time. However, not many know that he has been to the Maryland police station a few times. The 23-time Olympic gold medalist was arrested in 2014 on DUI and speeding charges.
Phelps was arrested in Maryland on September 30, 2014. He was driving under the influence according to the Maryland Transportation Authority. The Baltimore Bullet was arrested at around 1:40 am after he crossed double lane lines within the Fort McHenry Tunnel on I-95 in Baltimore.
According to police officers, Phelps was driving a white 2014 Land Rover at 84 mph in a 45-mph zone. The officers followed the vehicle and made the arrest. The swimmer was detained and taken for medical tests before being released.
The athlete acknowledged the event and took to his official Twitter account to apologize for his actions. He noted that he understood the severity of his actions and was 'deeply sorry'. However, the issue didn’t end just there. USA Swimming soon issued a written statement against the athlete and his ‘irresponsible’ actions.
USA Swimming said in a statement:
“The news regarding Michael Phelps and his actions are disappointing and unquestionably serious. We expect our athletes to conduct themselves responsibly in and out of the pool.”
The situation worsened for the athlete as USA Swimming suspended him for a period of six months. The Olympic champion was penalized for violating the organization's code of conduct, which includes DUI.
During the suspension that lasted from October 2014 to April 2015, Michael Phelps was forced to enter a six-week treatment program. The swimmer also notably withdrew from the 2015 world championship team. However, he made a strong comeback at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Not Michael Phelps’s first DUI case
It is pertinent to note that the 2014 incident wasn’t the first DUI charge against Michael Phelps. The Baltimore native was first arrested in 2004 after he was caught driving under the influence in Salisbury, Maryland. The then-young athlete was sentenced to 18 months’ probation.
Phelps had become a global star by 2008. He stunned the world by winning eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. However, he was once again dragged down by the media when a photograph of him allegedly smoking pot at a party emerged.
Following the incident, the athlete was suspended from the US swimming team for another three months. The national governing body for competitive swimming also withdrew financial support for Phelps and barred him from the competition. Some of his sponsors cut collaborations with him.
Michael Phelps has apologized for his actions, multiple times. After the pot smoking incident, the swimmer said that he made a 'million mistakes' in his life and they were all learning points for him.
Towards the end of his career, Phelps revealed that he was struggling with mental health problems and faced multiple issues due to the same. Having retired in 2016, the swimmer is now an advocate for athletes' mental health.
