Remember when Michael Phelps won eight gold medals at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, and then let loose with some marijuana and weight gain? The Olympic swimmer has finally opened up about that time in a Details interview.
After his beastly wins in 2008, it was finally time for Michael Phelps to relax. It’s understandable that after all that hard work and training he’d want to have a little fun. But that fun got him into a little trouble. In 2009, a photo of him smoking a bong surfaced everywhere. USA Swimming suspended him from competing for three months, and Kellogg, one of his longtime sponsors, decided not to renew his endorsement contract.
That was a low-point in Phelps’ life. He recalls when he took off for Vegas instead of showing up for swim practice. “At that point, I just didn’t have anything. It was weird going from the highest of the high, the biggest point of your life—winning eight gold medals—and then saying, ‘All right, where do I go from here?’ I wasn’t motivated. I did nothing, literally nothing, for a long time. I gained 25 pounds.” His wake up call was when one of his friends pulled him aside and straight up told Phelps that he was fat.
The Olympian’s short downfall is no different than some of the celebrities in Hollywood, like Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears. They rise to fame, then down spiral because they don##Q##t know what to do with themselves, like Michael said. Thankfully, Phelps learned his lesson from his one stunt and his good reputation remains intact!
Phelps told Details, “It was a learning experience. I’m the kind of person who has to go through the learning experiences myself. Somebody could tell me, ‘If you eat this much you’ll be fat,’ and I’ll be like, ‘Yeah, okay, let me try it.’ Growing up, my mom taught us to make our own decisions, but also that you have to pay for the consequences of those decisions. I’m thankful for that. I’ll be the first to say I’ve made thousands of mistakes, but I’ve never made the same mistake twice.”
Now, the swimmer is focusing on the 2012 London Olympics, which are just around the corner. We’ll be rooting for you, Michael Phelps! Go Team USA!
