Michael Phelps expects his 9-month-old son, Boomer, to one day ask him about one of the biggest issues in sport.
“I don’t even know how I would even talk to my son about doping in sports,” Phelps said at a congressional hearing in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, examining the international anti-doping system. “I would hope to never have that conversation. I hope we can get it cleared and cleaned up by then. ... That’s probably a question I could get asked. I don’t know how I would answer it.”
Phelps said in the 2-hour, 30-minute House subcommittee hearing that he “never voiced opinions” on doping issues until this year.
“I’ve stayed in my lane, so to say,” Phelps said.
Phelps plunged into the discussion, starting last week with video comments, and then in written testimony published Monday.
Phelps recited the 1,300-word letter Tuesday, repeating that he doesn’t believe he’s ever competed in a major international meet with all clean swimmers.
Phelps cited that he was drug tested 13 times in the six months leading up to the Rio Olympics, evidenced by online records on the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency website.
The World Anti-Doping Agency said in October that of the 11,470 athletes entered in the Rio Olympics, 4,125 had no record of any drug testing in 2016.
Phelps was one of five witnesses at the hearing, along with:
Adam Nelson, 2004 U.S. Olympic shot put champion
Travis Tygart, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO
Dr. Richard Budgett, IOC Medical and Scientific Director
Rob Koehler, World Anti-Doping Agency Deputy Director General
The full hearing is archived here.
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.@MichaelPhelps Full Opening Statement: "Even the suspicion of doping is disillusioning for clean athletes." #cleanathletes #cleansports pic.twitter.com/t71VPhfVAh
— CSPAN (@cspan) February 28, 2017