‘Firm’ Michael Phelps advocates for harsh lifetime ban amid havoc around Chinese doping scandal

Michael Phelps advocates for stricter punishments and lifetime bans against those doping following the Chinese doping scandal.

‘Firm’ Michael Phelps advocates for harsh lifetime ban amid havoc around Chinese doping scandal

Michael Phelps calls for harsher doping punishments (AFP via Getty Images)

Doping is a highly controversial issue in the world of sports, especially the Olympic Games. There is a ton of debate about the repercussions of such an act and what the athletes’ punishment should be. Olympic legend Michael Phelps recently gave his opinion on the situation after a recent scandal came to light.

Michael Phelps has always been an advocate for tougher sanctions against those caught in the practice. He even went so far as to say that once somebody tested positive for doping, they should never be allowed to compete again in their lives. He believed in a strict ‘one and done’ punishment.

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This statement of his was made shortly after a Chinese Doping scandal came to light. The World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics acknowledged that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for doping. However, these reports weren’t made public until earlier this year as both bodies accepted the explanation that the positive result was due to tainted food.

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If you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again, cut and dry. I believe one and done.

Michael Phelps said to a USA Today reporter

Nine of these swimmers won medals. Swimmers such as Adam Peaty claimed that the playing field was not level. Phelps reiterated his statements and claimed that those swimmers shouldn’t have been allowed to participate in either the Tokyo Games or the Paris Olympics. He shared Peaty’s sentiments, saying that the level of the playing field was not even, and such players did not belong there.

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Michael Phelps reveals subjecting himself to extra testing to prove he was not doping during the Olympics

Michael Phelps revealed that he subjected himself to extra testing leading up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics and his record-breaking performance. He took weekly blood and urine tests to alleviate any doubts about him being clean. He claimed to have won 23 Olympic Gold medals the clean way, and that it could be done without doping.

Michael Phelps
Michael Phelps (via Dan Chung/Guardian)

Phelps also revealed that there were many alongside him during his five Olympic Games who were doping. He felt that he had never competed on an even playing field. He believed that all concerned bodies should come together to discuss the steps needed to prevent such things from happening in the future.

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.

Michael Phelps added

The 39-year-old claimed that it broke his heart to see people putting in so much effort for four straight years during their preparation for the Olympic Games. However, it was all taken away from them solely because someone was cheating. This didn’t seem right to him, and he claimed to always stand for harsher punishments for those cheating.

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