Michael Phelps vs USA Swimming controversy: Explained how the dispute started and unfolded

As USA Swimming looks ahead to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, legendary swimmers Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte have spoken out about problems within the team following illness outbreaks and a disappointing overall medal tally at the World Championships. The U.S. finished with 32 medals: 10 golds, 11 silvers, and 11 bronzes. China topped the standings with 37 medals, including 15 golds.

The United States led the medal table for swimming in the pool at the 2025 World Championships with 29 medals (nine golds, 11 silvers, and nine bronzes). Of the nine American golds in pool swimming, eight were won by women, with Luca Urlando’s 200m butterfly being the only title for the men.

You can find the medal table below:

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1.	China	15	12	10	37
2.	Australia	13	7	8	28
3.	United States	10	11	11	32

Pool Swimming

Rank	Nation	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
1.	United States	9	11	9	29
2.	Australia	8	6	6	20
3.	France	4	1	3	8

Controversy followed in the closing days of the event when two of the biggest names in U.S. swimming publicly voiced concerns over the team’s performance. Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte highlighted a lack of leadership in USA Swimming, which has been operating for nearly a year without a full-time CEO.

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“Is this the wake-up call?”: Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte raise urgent concerns over USA Swimming’s performance

The discussion started when 12-time Olympic medalist and 27-time world medalist Ryan Lochte posted a meme of a gravestone with the inscription:

"IN LOVING MEMORY OF UNITED STATES SWIMMING 1980 – 2025 Aged 45. ‘They set the bar high – until they stopped reaching for it.’"

He captioned it with a reference to the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics:

"Call it a funeral, or call it a fresh start. We’ve got 3 years."

Michael Phelps, the 28-time Olympic medalist and 33-time world champion, reshared Lochte’s post, adding:

"Is this the wake-up call USA Swimming needed? Let’s find out…"

Screenshot of Michael Phelps' story (August 1) IG/@m_phelps00

Following their comments, NBC’s swimming commentator and Olympic champion Rowdy Gaines echoed their concerns, pointing to a lack of leadership at the top.

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Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh, and Bobby Finke push back against Phelps and Lochte’s criticism

Singapore 2025 World Aquatics Championships - Day 24: Swimming - Source: Getty

The U.S. team had been affected by an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis during training in Thailand before the championships, resulting in some swimmers arriving late in Singapore and others withdrawing from events.

Gretchen Walsh voiced frustration at the criticism, pointing out the challenges the team faced and highlighting the multiple medals they still won, including her own golds in the 50m and 100m butterfly. Lilly King also defended the team, citing standout performances such as Katie Ledecky’s seventh consecutive 800m freestyle title and the U.S. mixed freestyle relay’s gold with a world record. King noted Phelps and Lochte’s silence during those moments of success.

Bobby Finke also backed the team, calling the criticism “stupid” and defending their efforts under difficult circumstances.

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Michael Phelps made a strong statement criticizing USA Swimming and calling for changes

Swimming - Rio de Janeiro Olympics 2016 - Source: Getty

On Wednesday, August 13, Michael Phelps issued a five-page statement addressing the situation on Instagram. He clarified that his criticism was not directed at athletes but at systemic failures within USA Swimming. He pointed to the decline in Olympic performance since 2016, from winning 57% of possible medals in Rio to just 44% in Paris, the lowest since 1988.

According to Michael Phelps, cracks in the system have worsened over the past nine years, with poor leadership, weak operational controls, and inadequate athlete support at the core. He revealed that an earlier letter he sent to USA Swimming and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, co-signed by former Olympic medalists, world record holders, coaches, and staff members of USA Swimming, went unanswered.

Phelps stressed that swimming should be about building champions in and out of the pool, not just producing medals. He admitted that in its current state, he would hesitate to have his own children compete in the sport at a competitive level.

Michael Phelps called for accountability, transparency, and athlete voices at the center of decision-making, proposing three immediate steps:

1. “Commission a 360° independent review of USA Swimming’s Board of Directors and its organization as a whole. Provide complete transparency in this process.

2. Streamline athlete services and develop a proactive, athlete-first way to support athletes competing in the sport. While USA Swimming and the USOPC provide some athlete resources, there needs to be a better way to work directly with athletes to implement what’s available to them.

3. Focus on strengthening the grassroots level of the sport, reversing its pandemic membership decline while developing new ways to foster additional growth.”

Michael Phelps also offered his help in implementing these changes and ended his note saying, “My door is open and there is work to be done.”