USA Swimming suspends Michael Phelps for 3 months

06 February 2009 @ 01:00 pm EDT

USA Swimming sensation Michael Phelps, who was photographed inhaling from a marijuana pipe, has been suspended from competition and cut off its financial support for three months effective, the sport's national governing body said in a statement.


Michael Phelps
U.S. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps delivers a speech at the 3rd Global Competitiveness Forum in Riyadh January 27, 2009. (Fahad Shadeed/Reuters)
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"This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated, but we decided to send a strong message to Michael because he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero," the federation said in a statement.

Kellogg Co. also announced earlier Thursday that it wouldn't renew its sponsorship contract with Phelps, saying his behavior is "not consistent with the image of Kellogg."

According to reports, "Michael has voluntarily accepted the reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust."

This article is copyrighted by International Business Times.

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