Michael Phelps recalled being labeled a “cheater” throughout his career while addressing the recent Chinese doping scandal.
The 39-year-old swimmer intensified his stance on the issue and advocated for a lifetime ban for athletes caught using banned substances.
“If everybody is not going through that same testing, I have a serious problem because it means the level of sport is not fair and it’s not even. If you’re taking that risk, then you don’t belong in here,” he said during a press availability set up by one of his sponsors, Omega.
The recent scandal surfaced after 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned substances before the Tokyo Olympics. However, the discovery was not immediately disclosed to the public.
Amid the Chinese doping scandal, Michael Phelps advocated for a lifetime ban on athletes caught doping
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The World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics were aware of the results but only confirmed them to the public after media reports emerged this year.
The two bodies accepted China's explanation that the positive tests resulted from tainted food.
Among the swimmers who were caught, nine of them went on to win medals in the ongoing Paris Olympics. Their participation sparked outrage and claims of an uneven playing field.
Britain’s Adam Peaty voiced his frustration after the British team finished fourth in the men’s 4x100-meter freestyle relay and the Chinese team won.
Nine Chinese swimmers, who tested positive for banned substances in the previous Olympics, were allowed to compete and won medals in the ongoing Paris Olympics
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Legendary swimmer Michael believes the swimmers should have been banned from participating in the Olympic Games ever again.
He also recalled how, during his days of Olympic glory, he would subject himself to constant testing to prove that he was clean for all five of his Olympics.
“People called me a cheater throughout my career,” he said. “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.”
“I did it the clean way,” he added. “I won 23 Olympic gold medals the clean way. It can be done.”
“It does break my heart to see people put hard effort into four straight years to prepare for an Olympic Games, then to have it taken away from them by somebody who is cheating,” the Olympic champion said
Image credits: Eurosport
The swimming icon said he also believes some of his fellow competitors were doping when he won all of his 28 Olympic medals clean.
“I don’t think I ever competed in an even playing field or a clean field,” he said. “I have some speculations of some athletes that I competed against that I thought they were (doping). But that’s out of my control.”
British star Adam Peaty voiced his frustration after the British team finished fourth in the men’s 4x100-meter freestyle relay and the Chinese team won
Image credits: An Lingjun/CHINASPORTS/VCG
Michael, the most decorated swimmer in history, has become extremely vocal about mental health and anti-doping since hanging up his goggles and retiring after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games.
He testified before the U.S. Congress in June about how athletes have lost faith in the World Anti-Doping Agency when it comes to preventing cheaters from competing.
“What has to happen is everybody has to come together and figure out one way to test everybody all over the world. Period,” he said in his recent statement. “And if you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again.”
"Go ahead and go to the cheater games. Keep the Olympics about integrity," the 28-Olympic-medal winner said
Image credits: Eurosport
The Olympic champion also said he can understand the frustration experienced by participants like Adam.
“It does break my heart to see people put hard effort into four straight years to prepare for an Olympic Games, then to have it taken away from them by somebody who is cheating,” he said. “It’s not right. I stand for that and I will always stand for that.”
As for people who want to evade the rules, he suggested, “Go ahead and go to the cheater games. Keep the Olympics about integrity.”