Michael Phelps Demands Lifetime Ban for All Doping Offenders

“I did it the clean way,” the retired Olympian said. “I won 23 Olympic gold medals the clean way. It can be done.”

PARIS, France — Following a Chinese doping scandal, Michael Phelps advocated for stringent penalties, suggesting a lifetime ban for any athlete caught using banned substances.

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

The World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics revealed that 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for banned substances before the Tokyo Olympics. These results only surfaced this year, with both organizations citing tainted food as the explanation given by Chinese authorities.

Nine of those swimmers won medals, several in relay events, leading British swimmer Adam Peaty to claim the playing field was unfair.

Phelps echoed these concerns, emphasizing that the Chinese swimmers who tested positive should not have been allowed to compete in Tokyo, Paris, or any other venue.

“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,” he asserted. “If you’re taking that risk, then you don’t belong in here.”

During his career, Phelps became the most decorated Olympian while facing widespread scrutiny. To prove his integrity, he underwent additional testing before the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he famously won eight gold medals.

“People called me a cheater throughout my career,” Phelps said during a media appearance. “I subjected myself to more testing — blood and urine — weekly. Why? To show I was 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.”

Phelps believes that he never competed on an even playing field during his five Olympics, in which he amassed a total of 28 medals.

“I don’t think I ever competed in an even playing field or a clean field,” he said. “I have suspicions about some athletes I competed against, but that’s beyond my control.”

Since retiring after the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, Phelps has been vocal about issues like mental health and anti-doping. He recently testified before the U.S. Congress, calling for reform in the anti-doping system.

“We need a unified method to test everyone globally. Period,” Phelps declared. “And if you test positive, you should never be allowed to come back and compete again.”

He expressed empathy for athletes such as Peaty, whose British team finished fourth in the men’s 4×100-meter freestyle relay, a race won by the Chinese.

“It breaks my heart to see people dedicate years to an Olympic Games only to lose to cheaters,” Phelps said. “It’s not right. I stand for clean sports and always will.”

Phelps offered a blunt suggestion for those who want to circumvent the rules.

“Go ahead and go to the cheater games,” he said. “Keep the Olympics about integrity.”