Michael Phelps calls for lifetime bans for doping offenders

Michael Phelps has reiterated his call for lifetime bans for athletes who test positive for banned substances, following a doping scandal involving Chinese swimmers. Phelps emphasized that stricter sanctions are necessary to maintain fairness in sports.

"If you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again, cut and dry,” Phelps told reporters at a recent sponsor event in Paris . “I believe one and done.” His comments came after it was revealed that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned substances before the Tokyo Olympics, a fact that was only made public through media reports this year. The World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics accepted the Chinese explanation that the positives were due to tainted food.

Nine of these swimmers won medals, leading British swimmer Adam Peaty to assert that the playing field is not level. Phelps echoed these concerns, stating, "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.”

Reflecting on his career, Phelps noted that he often faced accusations of doping and subjected himself to frequent testing to prove his innocence. “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. I won 23 Olympic gold medals the clean way. It can be done.”

Phelps also expressed his belief that he never competed on an even playing field, suspecting that some competitors were doping. Since retiring, he has become more vocal on issues like mental health and anti-doping. He recently testified before US Congress, advocating for a unified global testing system and lifetime bans for doping offenders.

“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,” Phelps said. “It’s not right. I stand for that and I will always stand for that.”