Going off with a bong: gold medallist's life is up in smoke

[JDanger]

NOTHING could damage Michael Phelps's reputation. Nothing. Except this. Photographs purported to be of the superstar American swimmer smoking marijuana have been published by the News of the World in England. According to the notorious rag, Phelps's aides went to great lengths to stop the publication of the pictures. Needless to say, they failed. Front-page headline: "Phelps Goes Bong". Inside: "What A Dope." The story was accompanied by a shot of the 14-times Olympic gold medallist sucking on a glass pipe. In other words, a bong.

More. Much more.

Article at time of post was missing paragraphs and spacing altogether. Editing fails, someone must've been in a hurry to get this up

[ajna]

career ruined in one photo, and no one even showed him how to use the shotty!

[FancyPants]

Such a shame that the poor bastard's career might be ruined just from having a private life revealed. You'd never hear that elite athletes are able to use recreational drugs and still become champion swimmers. Fuck the media.

[MORG]

"Nothing could damage his reputation. Nothing. Except this."

Fuck, hold on! Give me a break! He could have been whacking off in a public toilet, he could have been caught with child pornography, he could have been flashing kiddies at the local school, he could've been beating on his girlfriend, he could have been in a drunken bar fight and glassed a guy, he could have been drink-driving, he could have been yelling racial slurs out his Escalade window, he could have been hanging with J-Lo, he could have been caught with a pocket full of amyl cruising Las Vegas streets for transvestite hookers...

He was smoking a bit of dope at a friend's party!

Just goes to show that with occasional, moderated use one can still perform at peak in life.

[kenny]

It just shows how little media organizations really give a shit about anything or anybody.

During the Olympics and other big sporting events you will see every media outlet describing these people as a "Hero" and "Mentor" "Role Model" ect.... Talking about how much of an amazing athlete and person he is.... " I spoke to him earlier today, and he is a real down to earth guy ".....

(none of these quotes refer to the article.. just generalizing)

Once the hype of the event is over though, and their graetness has been sold to exhaustion. They cant wait to begin ruining reputations. After all, the only thing better than reporting on a star athlete is a "rising star athlete".

Lets all forget about how hard this guy trains, and the fact that he has the discipline to achieve his wildest dreams. Rather than reporting on social issues that actually matter, lets try and screw with this guys reputation for wanting to relax.

Anyway, My hatred for the media continues. If they caught him with a needle in his arm, maybe I would raise an eyebrow, but this is just a shameful attempt to sensationalize a harmless night out.

[faustus]

LESSON 1: never, ever, let someone take a photo of you consuming drugs, cos it may just come back to haunt you down the line.

there's no way his career is over. anyone remember that other US swimmer ages ago who admitted to smoking dope, and kieren perkins went out and called him a drug cheat? funniest shit ever... especially given that this dude was perkins' main competitor.

at most he'll lose some sponsorship deals, because he doesn't promote family values. as cannabis isn't considered a performance enhancing drug, i doubt he'll receive any ban. or if it does, i can't see it being more than 6 months.

Edited February 2, 2009 by twix elbert

[Neoshaman]

I've never understood why its so taboo for athletes to smoke pot can someone actually come up with a way cannabis could enhance athletic abilities. It was actually part of the reason I dropped out of competitive Judo when I was younger apparently after 16 you can be random drug tested so i figured why put myself through the embarassment of course there were other reason too but this was definitely a major consideration. I tthink its sad the many sports do not differentiate between personal/recreational drugs and those which are truely performance enhancing , I think its fair enough to try and create a level playing field but attempting to control someones private life in such ways is a fucking joke.

Ohh what the media wankers didn't point out in their sensationalist artiicle was that there are numerous substances that can be used through a water pipe just cause he's sucking one down does not mean it actually pot FUCKIN MEDIA WANKERS

[MindExpansion]

How fucking lame is this ey? A mate told me yesterday, but I think Kenny summed it up really well, anything to sell a rag.

If he does get a ban it will be because he has brought the sport into desrepute. I think it actually shows even more about his level of motivation and self control because we all know how MJ can leech the motivation right out of you, but if he can control it and keep it occassional enough to still train up enough to win many gold medals then who in their right mind gives a fuck? Except those morons who dislike pot and pot heads simply because 'its against the law'...without any question of why it is or whether it should be. The media, the world, piss me off hah.

Peace

[mac]

again the media blowing shit out of proportion , its not like having a bong is performance enhancing

[JDanger]

Unless you're in a hotdog eating contest.

[mac]

true

[C_T]

It is performance enhancing.

It allows you to eat copous amouts of food and sleep for 12hrs a day.

During Slow Wave Sleep, is where you repair your muscle fibers, an advantage in comsuming food and sleeping more soundly, will result in an athletic advantage.

[oxydiser]

Someone at that party really wanted to destroy his reputation, I don't think his career is over 'cos he's gonna swim twice as many gold medals in 3 years time. Truth be told tho, he smokes a bong like a bitch...

[momomoto]

Now Michael Phelps really is my hero...

[Garbage]

And he paid the extortionists?

[ayjay101]

MICHAEL PHELPS' DIET

Breakfast: Three fried egg sandwiches; cheese; tomatoes; lettuce; fried onions; mayonnaise; three chocolate-chip pancakes; five-egg omelette; three sugar-coated slices of French toast; bowl of grits; two cups of coffee

Lunch: Half-kilogram (one pound) of enriched pasta; two large ham and cheese sandwiches with mayonnaise on white bread; energy drinks

Dinner: Half-kilogram of pasta, with carbonara sauce; large pizza; energy drinks

now we know why!

[momomoto]

Go to his facebook page and leave a message of support. There's a few critics expressing how evil pot is, that's gotta be a real drag for anyone.

[MindExpansion]

@CT

From Link

:

Since the 1970s, several studies have examined the effect of THC (the main psychoactive ingredient in marijuana) on SWS and REM sleep stages. Researchers have demonstrated that THC ingestion decreases SWS and REM sleep, and has sometimes been found to eliminate REM sleep altogether in rats, rabbits, and cats.(6), (7), (8), (9) In later research, the same effect was observed in humans in controlled studies, with the added finding that sleep cycles did not return to normal until after about one week of abstinence.(10), (11) Difficulty falling and staying asleep and restlessness were noted in three studies a few days after abstinence for people who smoked marijuana and for people who orally ingested THC. (12), (13), (14)

Now keep in mind that it is mostly during REM and to some degree during stage 3 sleep (Slow wave sleep) that muscle and tissue repair occurs, as such since canabis can reduce if not eliminate SLS and REM sleep, it is likely that it is in fact of detriment to physical performance. You cannot make the assumption that all sleep is the same, most substance induced sleep exhibits variations in the natural brain wave cycles from unassisted sleep. So while you may sleep for 10 hours it may be functionally of very little use compared to normal sleep.

Peace

[ajna]

i have figured the same from experience. when smoking more you want to sleep longer and still wake up tired, but also rarely recall dreaming, which i'd put down to being at least partly due to reduced REM

[C_T]

@CT

From Link

:

Now keep in mind that it is mostly during REM and to some degree during stage 3 sleep (Slow wave sleep) that muscle and tissue repair occurs, as such since canabis can reduce if not eliminate SLS and REM sleep, it is likely that it is in fact of detriment to physical performance. You cannot make the assumption that all sleep is the same, most substance induced sleep exhibits variations in the natural brain wave cycles from unassisted sleep. So while you may sleep for 10 hours it may be functionally of very little use compared to normal sleep.

Peace

Mate i know it reduces SWS and REM sleep. Just like all hypnotics.

The only substance that increase SWS is GHB.

But i can assure you, in my 8yrs of watching thousands upon thousands of people sleep with polysomnography equipment on. That the THC won't last 12hrs.

So although the first 4-6hrs of sleep is interrupted (ie, sleep architecture is abnormal), when you sleep for 12hrs a day instead of 6 or 8. YOU ARE INDEED getting SWS and REM sleep.

You know how when you over-sleep, and get that really really groggy feeling... Thats a side effect of SWS.

Now in the lab, i'd have taken the equipment of and cancelled the study before that. At home, you sleep if you wanna sleep. And i can tell you right now, Elite Athletes SLEEP!!!

I distrust most sleep research. If you've been through the experience and worked behind the scene's you'd see my point.

Performance enhancing. Along with a coctail of supplements.

Edit: Thinks like medication and alcohol, i can see it wearing off after 4 or 5hrs. THC would be just the same. So although sleep architecture says SWS happens more towards the beginning of the night... When you don't have a job, and swimming or running, or lifting weights is your like... Trust me, they sleep more than the normal person.

Edited February 3, 2009 by C_T

[Undergrounder]

So much for ruining his career, the paper today was glowing about how "we all make mistakes" and "even presidents admit to doing it", the IOC was saying it was fine, i was actually quite amazed at the amount of "who cares" response this was getting.

[momomoto]

And today it's not even news anymore...

I bet you he's still grounded though

[JDanger]

And today it's not even news anymore...

Wrong!

Olympic superstar Michael Phelps could face criminal charges as part of the fallout from a photo that surfaced showing the swimmer smoking from a marijuana pipe at a US university party.

A spokesman for Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott, who is known for his tough stance on drugs, said on Tuesday the South Carolina department was investigating.

"Our narcotics division is reviewing the information that we have, and they're investigating what charges, if any, will be filed," said Lieutenant Chris Cowan, a spokesman for the agency.

The photo first shown in British tabloid News of the World on Sunday was snapped during a November party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina, according to the paper.

Phelps, 23, and his team have not disputed the photo's accuracy. Phelps has issued a public apology, acknowledging "regrettable" behaviour and "bad judgment" after the photo appeared.

One of Phelps's agents, Drew Johnson, said on Tuesday authorities had not contacted the swimmer. "So we really can't speculate," he said.

In November, Phelps was introduced to large applause at South Carolina's football game with Arkansas. He met with players and visited the coach Steve Spurrier, who gave Phelps one of the ball coach's trademark visors.

Phelps also spoke at a university class on sports' role in society.

Where exactly the party occurred isn't clear. The university said its police have no evidence it was on campus, and city police said they won't pursue criminal charges unless more information comes forward.

The Richland County sheriff can pursue charges as long as the party was in the county, the spokesman said.

"The bottom line is, if he broke the law, and he did it in Richland County, he's going to be charged," Cowan said. "And there's no difference between Michael Phelps and several other people that we arrest for the same type of a charge everyday."

Under South Carolina law, possession of one ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanour that carries a fine up to $200 and 30 days in jail for the first offence. Possession of paraphernalia is a $500 fine.

The Richland County sheriff has long sought to fight drug crimes. He rose from patrol officer to captain of the narcotics division in the early 1990s, after the television series Miami Vice made its splash.

Lott played the part well. He wore stylish suits and had long hair. He drove a Porsche seized from a drug dealer and even worked undercover with federal agents in Florida.

Link

[stiched up]

well i can vouch that mj screws up your sleep becouse after 4-5 hours after the main affects ave worn off you get restless and want more mj induced sleep often tossing and turning for the rest of the night since ive quit ive never had such deep and good sleeep for all night no distubances

thats also assuming hes a regular user and not just having it at a party every now and then

i definately would not call mj a perormance enhancing drug but thats just my experiance from smoking for far to long ;)

[MindExpansion]

C_T the assumption that THC wears off after 4-5 hours is erroneous. The high may wear off but Delta-1 (aka Delta-9) THC has a plasma half life (note that this is not the same as the half life in fatty tissue where it is stored to some degree) of over 4 days. So while you may not feel high it is still in your system at some level.

(Link)

Sorry man but I cannot let you spread misinformation. Especially about weed where there is far too much hearsay and misinformation distributed by those who think it can cure cancer (figure of speech).

Even if this was not the case, you also make the big assumption that when weed wears off your body chemistry is 100% the way it was before you smoked, which is unlikely to be the case, the metabolites of cannabis may also (and I'm not saying they do, simply pointing out examples of why your assumptions are not fit to be presented as fact) interfere with sleep, or the effects of the delta-9 THC may linger long after the THC itself is gone, so even if the delta9 was gone after 4 hours (which it isn't) there are ways that your sleep may still be affected.

Peace