http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/9160136?MSNHPHCP>1=39002
The competition isn't the only thing he's been smoking!
<center>PHOTO: Phelps smoking pot</center>
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<!-- ========== END PHOTO ======== --> <!-- ========== TEXT/LINKS ======== --> Michael Phelps hopes the image of him smoking pot is not the enduring memory people will have of him. Once upon a time, Phelps dominated a historic Olympic Games. Check out the Top 10 performances from Beijing here. Want more? Here are the Top 10 choke jobs. <!-- ========== END TEXT/LINKS ======== --> </td></tr></tbody></table>
Olympic hero and 14-time gold medalist Michael Phelps has been caught cradling a glass bong — a scene so potentially damaging to his career that his representatives allegedly tried to buy off the British newspaper News Of The World in an attempt to kill the story, the paper reports.
The winner of a record eight gold medals last summer in Beijing was spotted knocking back shots and chugging beers at a house party at the University of South Carolina in Columbia on Nov. 6, when a partygoer handed him the water pipe etched with red writing.
"He grabbed the bong and a lighter and knew exactly what to do," a witness said of the swimming superstar, who was in town visiting a gal pal and South Carolina coed.
"He looked just as natural with a bong in his hands as he does swimming in the pool. He was the gold medal winner of bong hits."
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In a statement released Sunday to The Associated Press, Phelps conceded the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the News of the World.
Phelps said: "I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."
The report in the British tabloid allegedly made Phelps' handlers so paranoid that they offered the paper an eye-popping deal to keep it from seeing the light of day — having Phelps pen a column for the paper for three years.
His camp also allegedly offered to host parties for the tabloid and push his sponsors to advertise with them.
"It's seeing if something potentially very negative for Michael could turn into something very positive for the News of the World," his spokesman, Clifford Bloxham, told the paper.
The scandal could be a major buzz kill for Phelps, whose agent, Peter Carlisle, has said Phelps could bag up to $100 million in endorsements.
<center>More from the New York Post</center>
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The world-record holder's deals with Visa, PowerBar, AT&T Wireless and Speedo may all be in jeopardy.
During the two-day stay, the normally reserved Phelps was spotted partying hard with a flock of females.
"He arrived with a group of girls hanging all over him. Every girl wanted a piece of him and every guy wanted to be his best buddy," the student told the paper.
"He couldn't get enough of all the attention."
This isn't the first scandal for the golden boy, who was arrested in 2004 for driving under the influence near his home in suburban Baltimore, when he was 19. He was sentenced to 18 months probation and fined $250.
Phelps' spokesman did not return repeated requests for comment.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
The competition isn't the only thing he's been smoking!
<center>PHOTO: Phelps smoking pot</center>
<table><tbody><tr><td> <!-- ========== PHOTO ======== -->
Olympic hero and 14-time gold medalist Michael Phelps has been caught cradling a glass bong — a scene so potentially damaging to his career that his representatives allegedly tried to buy off the British newspaper News Of The World in an attempt to kill the story, the paper reports.
The winner of a record eight gold medals last summer in Beijing was spotted knocking back shots and chugging beers at a house party at the University of South Carolina in Columbia on Nov. 6, when a partygoer handed him the water pipe etched with red writing.
"He grabbed the bong and a lighter and knew exactly what to do," a witness said of the swimming superstar, who was in town visiting a gal pal and South Carolina coed.
"He looked just as natural with a bong in his hands as he does swimming in the pool. He was the gold medal winner of bong hits."
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In a statement released Sunday to The Associated Press, Phelps conceded the authenticity of the exclusive picture published Sunday by the News of the World.
Phelps said: "I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public it will not happen again."
The report in the British tabloid allegedly made Phelps' handlers so paranoid that they offered the paper an eye-popping deal to keep it from seeing the light of day — having Phelps pen a column for the paper for three years.
His camp also allegedly offered to host parties for the tabloid and push his sponsors to advertise with them.
"It's seeing if something potentially very negative for Michael could turn into something very positive for the News of the World," his spokesman, Clifford Bloxham, told the paper.
The scandal could be a major buzz kill for Phelps, whose agent, Peter Carlisle, has said Phelps could bag up to $100 million in endorsements.
<center>More from the New York Post</center>
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- More from The New York Post
The world-record holder's deals with Visa, PowerBar, AT&T Wireless and Speedo may all be in jeopardy.
During the two-day stay, the normally reserved Phelps was spotted partying hard with a flock of females.
"He arrived with a group of girls hanging all over him. Every girl wanted a piece of him and every guy wanted to be his best buddy," the student told the paper.
"He couldn't get enough of all the attention."
This isn't the first scandal for the golden boy, who was arrested in 2004 for driving under the influence near his home in suburban Baltimore, when he was 19. He was sentenced to 18 months probation and fined $250.
Phelps' spokesman did not return repeated requests for comment.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.
