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Media & Entertainment Law

: Sports Biz

Phelps Suspended

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The first ramifications for pot smoking are starting to roll in for gold medal wonder boy Michael Phelps. Yesterday, USA Swimming suspended him for three months, meaning he will not be allowed to participate in any sanctioned meets during that time. He had planned to return to competition in a March Grand Prix meet in Austin but that will have to wait until a May meet in Charlotte. There's a Grand Prix meet in Santa Clara, California in June followed by the US Nationals in early July where the US team for the World Championships in Rome in late July will be chosen.

USA Swimming also suspended its financial support of Phelps for the three month period. I don't think Michael will miss it much as almost all of his sponsors are standing by him and he is making millions of dollars a year in endorsement income. Nevertheless, it is a symbolic gesture amounting to a $1,750 monthly stipend for training expenses.

Phelps lost one sponsor yesterday as Kellogg's announced that it would not renew its contract when it expires later this year. The company said that Phelps' behavior was "not consistent with the image of Kellogg." So far, Kellogg is the only sponsor breaking ties to Phelps. If that is the only fallout, and I suspect that it will be, then the monetary loss and, frankly, the image loss, will not be too great. This will be a tempest in a teacup that will blow over and be forgotten following a good showing in Rome. However, if Michael doesn't swim well in Rome for whatever reason, the dope smoking and DUI will be brought up as an explanation for his failure and he will face more questions about his behavior, placing sponsors in a more difficult position. What was going to be a World Championships that was just an easy pressure less swim has now become something in which his performance is very important to his financial future.

Full post as published by Sports Biz on February 06, 2009 (boomark / email).