Michael Phelps testifies on anti-doping scandal

Michael Phelps testified Tuesday before a House Subcommittee on Oversights and Investigation in Room 2123 of the Rayburn Office Building. He was one of five witnesses. The Subcommittee’s chairman is Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa).

This subcommittee is part of the Committee on Energy and Commerce, whose chairman is Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.).

The focus of the inquiry dealt with ways to “improve and strengthen” the anti-doping process dealing with international sports, particularly the Olympic Games.

After the completion of the Rio Olympics, in 2016, Phelps retired from swimming competition. He had competed in five games and ended his career as the most decorated Olympian in history. He won a total of 28 gold medals. Phelps was born in Baltimore City and raised in the Rodgers Forge area of Baltimore County.

In his testimony, Phelps expressed his deep concerns about the inadequacy of the current anti-doping testing system. He underscored that in some cases, “no testing at all was done” and that he had suspected that “some athletes were cheating.”

Phelps mentioned how one of his teachers had told him very early on that “you will never amount to anything.” He underscored that, despite that kind of negativity, he had worked hard all of his life to be the best in his sport.

His full testimony, along with the other four witnesses can be viewed here.

There is a huge amount of credible evidence on the record that Russian officials had “orchestrated a doping program at the Olympics.”

Phelps urged the sub-committee and the groups supposedly policing the Olympics “to do what is necessary to ensure the system is fair and reliable, so we can all believe in it.”

The written testimony that Phelps submitted to the sub-committee can be found here.

After the hearing adjourned, Phelps and the other four witnesses, including Chairmen Murphy and Walden, participated in a press conference.

All photos by Bill Hughes
Top photo: Michael Phelps entering committee hearing