Swimming Phenomenon Michael Phelps Seen Inhaling Marijuana from a Bong, Acknowledge's Behavior as "Regrettable"

UPDATE

Michael Phelps has acknowledged "regrettable" behavior and "bad judgment" after a photo in a British newspaper showed him smoking marijuana.

In a statement released to, the swimmer who won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games, conceded the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the tabloid News of the World. Shameful. Simply shameful. So, when Kobe Bryant was accused of raping a young lady a few years ago, he lost his endorsements. Michael Phelps should lose his endorsements. Gone is that wholesome, youthful and decent image.

Imagine if Jamaican thunderbolt Usain Bolt was caught with smoking marijuana? It would be all over the news. But wait, America's golden boy, has allegedly been caught in a very compromising position. According to Britain's News of the World, Phelps was seen in a photo smoking from a bong. No! Say it ain't so.

For those of you who feign ignorance, a bong is a water pipe normally used for smoking marijuana. The alleged photo was taken at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, where Phelps was visiting a female student who he was secretly seeing. The paper's anonymous source relates that Phelps partied hard each night he was there, which is not out of keeping with other reports of the Olympian since his swimming triumphs.

I don't know if this picture was doctored, but it's a damaging one for Michael Phelps. He portrayed such a wholesome image that this has undoubted become a PR nightmare for him. Well, I guess we now see what he does in his spare time. Weed. I wonder what his next speech to be given to school children will be about? Ridiculous. He ought to lose some of his endorsements for this latest revelation.