Michael Phelps Suspended for Six Months; Banned From 2015 World Championships After DUI Arrest
A week after the news broke that Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps was arrested for DUI, USA Swimming announced that he will be banned from competition for the next six months.
USA Swimming, which is the national governing body for swimming in the United States, said on Monday that aside from being banned from competitive events sanctioned by the organization, Phelps will also forfeit his funding for six months and is being banned from participating in the 2015 world swimming championships.
The disciplinary action, which went into effect immediately, was the result of Phelps' breach of conduct set forth in the 2014 USA Swimming rulebook. The organization stated that Phelps' punishment is in response to his disregard for an official regulation against "any ... intentional act ... which is detrimental to the image or reputation of USA Swimming."
Phelps broke that rule on Sept. 30 in Baltimore, Maryland, when he was pulled over in his car for speeding and crossing double yellow lines. The officer involved in the incident said that Phelps appeared to be under the influence when he approached him and as a result was put under arrest, according to a report from USA Today.
Class Act Media reported that after being arrested, officers administrated a Breathalyzer test that indicated Phelps' blood alcohol level at .14, almost twice the legal limit in Maryland. He was charged with DUI and reportedly has a court date scheduled for Nov. 19,
"Membership in USA Swimming and particularly at the National Team level, includes a clear obligation to adhere to our Code of Conduct," USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus said in a statement. "Should an infraction occur, it is our responsibility to take appropriate action based on the appropriate case ... Michael's conduct was serious and required significant consequences."
Phelps had announced his retirement from swimming after winning 22 medals at the 2012 London Olympics. However, earlier this year he reportedly launched a comeback to his career.
However, because of the recent events Phelps will not be allowed to represent the United States in the International Swimming Federation (FINA) World Championships that are schedule to take place from Aug. 2 - 9 in Kazan, Russia.
According to reports, the upcoming world championships were expected to be a chance to gauge whether the swimmer's comeback had him on course for another shot at Olympic gold during the 2016 games in Rio.
Octagon, the agency that represents Phelps, announced Monday that the 29-year-old Olympian accepts the ramifications of his misconduct. "He has apologized for his actions and, as he shared yesterday, is taking steps to address them," an Octagon representative said in a statement.
On Sunday Phelps took to Twitter to reach out to his fans, admitting that last week's transgression was not his first lapse in judgment and then expressing his disappointment in himself.
He also noted that he has plants to attend a "program" that he believes will provide the help needed to "better understand" himself.
"Swimming is a major part of my life, but right now I need to focus my attention on me as an individual...and do the necessary work to learn from this experience and make better decisions in the future," Phelps tweeted.
For the latest news & updates, follow reporter Bary Alyssa Johnson on Twitter: @MissBary
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