Michael Phelps calls for lifetime doping bans after Chinese swimming controversy

Legendary American swimmer Michael Phelps is calling on anyone who has been caught doping to “never be allowed” to compete again in the Olympics. 

The hard-line stance from the swimming great came in the wake of a doping scandal involving Chinese swimmers that only came to light earlier this year. 

Nine swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance ahead of the Olympics in Tokyo have won medals in this year’s games in Paris, which has not sat well with other competitors, including Phelps and Brit Adam Peaty.

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

In total, 23 Chinese swimmers tested positive for a banned substance before the Tokyo games and it was only acknowledged publicly by the World Anti-Doping Agency and World Aquatics after it came out in the media this year. 

The two agencies accepted an explanation from the Chinese that tainted food was what caused the positive tests. 

“It does break my heart to see people put hard effort into four straight years to prepare for an Olympic Games, then to have it taken away from them by somebody who is cheating,” Phelps said. “It’s not right. I stand for that and I will always stand for that.”

2024 PARIS OLYMPICS

Peaty voiced his own frustrations over the situation on Sunday after China won the men’s 4×100-meter medley and Phelps said the Chinese swimmers should not have been allowed to compete in this year’s games. 

Phelps said that during his time competing in the Olympics, he underwent extra testing to eliminate any doubt about his victories heading into the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. 

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

Phelps also had a strong message for those who cheated. 

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