Michael Phelps' Golden Image Tarnished?

Apologizes After Photo Shows Olympics Superstar Apparently Inhaling Pot; Experts Predict Woes For Him On Endorsements Front

(CBS/ AP)  Superstar Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps says he's sorry, but experts say that probably won't be enough to shield him from losing lucrative endorsement deals after he was photographed apparently inhaling from a marijuana pipe.

His image was riding high after he won a record eight gold medals at the Beijing Games over the summer.

Bit the photo wound up in a British tabloid Sunday, forcing Phelps to publicly apologize and his handlers to deal with sponsors whom observers say are surely none-too-pleased about the swimmer's choices away from the pool.

"I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment," Phelps said in the statement released by one of his agents. "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."

That probably won't be enough to assuage current and potential sponsors said Robert Tuchman, president of New York sports marketing agency Premiere Corporate Events.

On The Early Show Monday, Tuchman told co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez the Phelps statement, "That's kind of (the), 'Hey, I'm a young kid, and look, we all do things" ' excuse.

Tuchman says the photo is likely to hold Phelps back "in the endorsement game. ...It's going to really hurt him in terms of his marketability now."

Phelps, said Tuchman, "is trying to make this go away as fast as possible."

Speedo issued a statement of support, but Tuchman says, "They've got a lot of money invested in him right now. And a lot of these companies, the usual tactic is, 'Let's support our person until we see what the effects are. ... What is the public opinion going to be? Can this go away in a few months?' And if it doesn't, then you'll start seeing companies that are endorsing him pulling out."

Tuchman added, "My prediction is that, with a story like this, that a few years from now, when, you know, we're all gearing up for the Olympics in London, you'll see a lot of people who are going to be jumping back on the bandwagon, providing he stays out, you know, of this type of negative light.

"But I do think that a lot of companies now that might have or might be in some economic trouble could use this as a way out of basically paying him these millions of dollars.

"Certainly, Phelps ... had everything. He was extremely marketable. ... This was the Golden Boy or the golden image. And Olympics and marijuana don't mix."

After the 2004 Athens Games, an underage Phelps was arrested for drunken driving, pleaded guilty and apologized to his fans, saying he wouldn't make the same mistake again.

"Michael is a role model, and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others, particularly young people," the U.S. Olympic Committee said in a statement reacting to the photo. "In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities."

News of the World said the picture was taken during a November house party while Phelps was visiting the University of South Carolina. During that trip, he attended one of the school's football games and received a big ovation when introduced to the crowd.

While the newspaper did not specifically allege that Phelps was smoking pot, it did say the water pipe is generally used for that purpose and anonymously quoted a partygoer who said the Olympic champion was "out of control from the moment he got there." Phelps and his advisers did not dispute the authenticity of the picture.

The party occurred nearly three months after the Olympics while Phelps was taking a long break from training, and his actions should have no impact on the eight golds he won at Beijing. He has never tested positive for banned substances, and this case doesn't fall under any doping rules.

Phelps' main sanctions most likely will be financial - perhaps from embarrassed sponsors who could reconsider their dealings with a swimmer who hopes to earn $100 million in endorsements.

Phelps was in Tampa, Fla., during Super Bowl week to make promotional appearances on behalf of a sponsor. But he left the city before Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals, abandoning his original plan to be at Raymond James Stadium.

USA Swimming said its Olympic champions are "looked up to by people of all ages, especially young athletes who have their own aspirations and dreams."

"That said," the governing body added in a statement, "we realize that none among us is perfect. We hope that Michael can learn from this incident and move forward in a positive way."

[caressa32]

I hope that people can stop judging long enough to look in the mirror, as most may not smoke pot or other pastime activities, people are guilty of walking past a person in need of help lying on the ground, or a hit run. I think there are more important things to talk about than this kid that we have all expected pure excellence from, doing what kids do!

[babooph]

Our last 3 presidents & drug addicted Nixon seem to make his tote very meaningless.

[backdapack4]

I hear now the cops in South Carolina are trying to charge him.... don''t they have anything better to do...big deal he smoked pot... I like how the media has blown this way out of proportion. Everybody acts like if your famous all the sudden you can''t just go be a normal person your own age.

[honestabe8]

AuxCayes: The movie was good, but the book was way better.

[honestabe8]

jfc: if pot is legal, less alcohol will be sold. the alcohol pushers know this and their lobbiests work to keep this bull$hit probitition going.

[grandesign]

what''''s new in this, IF IT FEELS GOOD DO IT, society. It''''s just another reason I tell my kids to be a person of integrity and dont break the laws of the land. You never know what your future holds.
Posted by sbottiaux at 08:20 AM : Feb 03, 2009

Fortune 100 Companys often speak of ethics, and even go as far as to say they are equal opportunity, or socially responsible. BUT THEY ARE NOT. They falsify accounting information, lie about their products, and mislead about their hiring practices whereas salary equity or hiring stardards are concerned. There is no moral high ground by Corporate America, about the use of Michael Phelps for promoting their products. He has done less wrong with smoking that bong, than most corporations do in one hour''s work.

[briannorwood]

Oh no! A 23 year old smokes some pot in what looks like a college dorm room! Can you believe it?

Give the kid a break! Gee whiz, when I was in college (over 30 years ago), smoking pot was about as common as drinking water.

[auxcayes]

SO LEGALIZE WEED
and
where
can
i
get
a
bag
of
what
Mr. Phelps
is
smoking..., YUM YUM!

[dragon8me]

He should have stood up and said "LEGALIZE IT MON". It is totally insane for it to be illegal anyway. Do your research and find out how and why it became illegal in the first place. You''ll be amazed. Whay is it only the government says it''s not good for medicine, When most doctors groups and medical research says it is good for many things. Back before the 1930''s it was in most American Pharmicalogical books with how to use if for various things and medicine containg some cannabis was the most used.

[auxcayes]

ALL YOU BIGOTED IDIOTS COULD
LEARN ALOT FROM THE MOVIE

"THANK YOU FOR SMOKING"

it exposes the 3 big demons of our society
GUN LOBBYIST
ALCOHOL LOBBYIST
TOBACCO LOBBYIST
all 3 are guilty of MURDER
my judgement is SLOW PUBLIC DEATH
to be carried out NOW!!!

[auxcayes]

E-***KING-VOLVE
YOU HAIRLESS
BABOONS
APES
ROBOTS &
SOLDIER SHEEP
AND ENGAGE ALL YOUR
OUTRAGE TOWARD ALL HUMAN
IGNORANCE EVERYWHERE ESPECIALLY
ON THE SUBJECT OF MARIHUANA vs. ALL
LEGAL SUBSTANCES of U.S.A. WHAT A STUPID
government I live in!!! Can all you
imbeciles with your HATEFUL
fanaticism get out of
my country, land
of the free.
FREE TO MAKE MY OWN CHOICE!
and I choose marijuana
not your IGNORANCE
not your JESUS
not your ALCOHOL
not your CIGARETTES
not your GREED
not your *** CHENEY
not your GEORGE UU BUSH
not your TED HAGGARD
not your JOSEPH C.
(the jerk that cbs interviewed this morning)
not your OLD FAT ALCOHOLICS OF YESTERDAY

grow up AMERICA,
nation of FAT PIGS
smoke a joint
and go exercise
or swim a few laps

[jfc15009]

The raging decades old debate-why not decriminialization leading to legalization. Word out on the street is the alchohol lobby is behind the prevention of both.

[honestabe8]

delkire: i agree. no hangover, no puking on your shoes, no agressive behavior and no deciding that your old flame would certainly welcome a call at 2:30 a.m.

[otiswestfall]

Some people believe that marijuana cause memory loss, but....uh...you know...I can''t remember any of the details.

[delkire]

Our government (fom the folks that brought you Irag)is spending 10 Billion dollars a year to fight the marijuana war (and losing). Mexico is haveing a worse war than we are having.

This is all over a harmless and even benificial herb. I have used it for 35 years. My Doctor cannot even tell I smoke. As the other boy on the interview said," no hangover no fat and lets you sleep good.

If you have trouble sleeping at night, try a couple of "tokes" about a hour before bedtime. It works great.

Legalize and tax the harmless recreation and all the killing goes away. (would that be unamerican?) It is a terriable tragidy that our tax dollars are going to incarserate and ruin so many lives and families

delkire

Good luck Michael

[annierose3]

After watching Harry discuss this with an old man who commented that there are more people in rehab for marijuna use then Alchol I had to question this. First I thought why not get someone more the age then an old man. Times are a changing and I didn''t think this was a big deal. As for a role model, get real, kids are more informed now and make choices. Some try it and forget it, others use it and stop never going further, while others continue onto worse drugs. I don''t think it leads to worse drugs as I know too many that just stop at that and only do it for recreational purposes. Most people think no big deal others get on a grand stand and say things that I dont believe is true but state old news. I would love to see where it is that people are in for marijuana use only compared to alchol. Get real kids look to their parents and people they are with everyday as role models not an adult who admits to playing playstation and practicing 8 hours a day swimming.

[andie52]

Soon after the 2004 Olympics, Phelps was busted for drunk driving.

In this repeat knucklehead performance %u2014 the worst kind of repetition %u2014 he was dumb enough to unknowingly pose for a photo during a close encounter with a bong. His advertisers and some fans may forgive him for now but if he keeps up this behavior the sponsors in particular have stated that would be the end of his sponsorships.

Perhaps he didn%u2019t beat his ADHD as his mother claims and needs to address it now.

[myview4]

I would rather see Michael taking a couple of puffs than stumbling out of a bar drunk. So many much more important things to worry about in this world than this
guy smoking pot!

[madamejoanne]

Michael Phelps is young and naive, and someone took deliberate advantage of him in this instance. Obviously Michael wasn''t the only person there who was "inhaling!" The person who put that pipe in front of Michael Phelps also took the photo and sold it to the tabloids for personal profit! Bravo to Michael Phelps for standing up and admitting that the photo was real, and for apologizing for it. That took real courage! Forgive and forget, I say. I wrote to Michael last August and warned him to watch out because there are far too many people in this world who would stop at nothing to bring him down for their own personal gain. I''m sure that Michael has learned his lesson in this instance. He''s never going to forget it, and I''m sure that it won''t happen again. He will always be a Hero in my eyes.

[caressa32]

Give me a break, we are all human. He is a young kid with alot on his shoulders and we expect perfect behavior and thus running them into a much needed escape. They werent passing around a straw or a needle.