Michael Phelps Photo Scandal

Recently, a British newspaper published a photo of Olympic Medalist Michael Phelps apparently smoking marijuana from a bong, not long after a large controversy erupted, people were asking what would happen next, wither or not he would lose his endorsements and wither or not he would face criminal charges.  Soon after the photo was published, the Olympic swimmer released a statement saying “I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” but in that statement he never openly admitted to smoking marihuana.  The US Olympic Committee also released a statement saying they were disappointed in Phelps’ behavior, but they supported his attempts to stay clean.  Phelps is also on of a dozen Olympic Athletes who have signed “My Victory,” which is a program launched last year by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency aimed at keeping competitive sports drug free.  But, what many people are asking is wither or not he is going to face criminal charges.  The authorities in Richland County where the photo was taken said that criminal charges could be filed if they could gather reasonable evidence that he did in fact smoke pot.  But in my opinion, what is more important is the trust that he has lost.  Phelps always stood as a roll model for what can be done if you put your mind to it, and that staying drug free is the key to it all.  Now many people are questioning all he stood (and still stands) for.  Wither or not he is charged criminally, is not up to you, it is up to the authorities in that jurisdiction, but what is up to you the public, is to determine what should happen to him after the law is through with him, because in my opinion public opinion is much more important in the long run, than what some old charges can do, because it is up to us how he does after the law has run its course and he is back swimming competitively if he retains his celebrity status or if he is an outcast in society for what he has done.