Winners Press Conferences & Photocall - 2013 Laureus World Sports Awards - Source: Getty — Michael Phelps once called for a lifetime ban on athletes who get caught doping (Image: Getty)

“If you test positive once you should never be allowed to compete again"- When Michael Phelps called for lifetime ban on athletes who're caught doping

Modified Dec 17, 2024 22:30 GMT

Michael Phelps once called for a lifetime ban on athletes who get caught doping. The American swimmer won a record 23 Olympic gold medals in his career and has claimed he never competed against a "clean field".

Phelps made his Olympic debut at the 2000 Sydney Games and before retiring at the 2016 Rio Olympics, he set an astonishing 39 world record records in his career. While he captivated the world with his speed and mental strength, the Baltimore Bullet also faced doping allegations in his career.

However, the 39-year-old put the allegations to rest by subjecting himself to extra testing ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he later won a record eight gold medals. Despite putting himself under extra scrutiny, Phelps felt the pools he competed in were never clean.

“I don’t believe I’ve stood up at an international competition and the rest of the field has been clean. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that," he told a US Congressional hearing in March 2017 (via CNN).

While weighing on his remarks in an interview with CNN in 2019, Phelps called for a lifetime ban on athletes who get caught doping.

“That has to change. If you test positive once you should never be allowed to compete again,” Michael Phelps said.

The 23-time Olympic champion repeatedly called for stricter anti-doping regulations and in the wake of the recent Chinese swimming doping scandal, he reiterated his call for tougher policies.

"People called me a cheater throughout my career" - Michael Phelps on subjecting himself to extra testing

Champions Park - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Michael Pheps in attendance (Source: Getty)

Speaking in an interview with his sponsor Omega in 2024, Michael Phelps confessed that he had been called a cheater throughout his career and to rid himself of the allegations, he underwent extra drug testing.

“People called me a cheater throughout my career. I subjected myself to do more testing — blood and urine — weekly. Why? For the reason that I could say I’m not cheating and I am clean and here are the results," he said (via ESPN).

The 39-year-old stressed that he was a living example of achieving incredible success while remaining clean.

“I did it the clean way. I won 23 Olympic gold medals the clean way. It can be done," he added.

Phelps finished as the most decorated Olympic athlete in history with 23 gold, three silver, and two bronze medals.