A follow-up on Saturday’s story related to a picture of Michael Phelps using a bong.

Baltimore Sun

Michael Phelps, the Rodgers Forge native who has won more gold medals than anyone in Olympic history, acknowledged today that he had engaged in “regrettable” behavior and shown “bad judgment” after a photo of him smoking what appears to be marijuana from a glass bong was published in a British tabloid over the weekend.

Marijuana is classified by the World Anti-Doping Agency, which oversees Olympic and international drug testing, as a banned “in-competition” substance, meaning Phelps is unlikely to face punishment or suspension. Marketing experts said the incident should have minimal effect on Phelps’ multimillion-dollar sponsorships because of today’s quick apology.

“I engaged in behavior which was regrettable and demonstrated bad judgment,” Phelps said in a statement released by Octagon, his management firm, and posted on his Facebook site. “I’m 23 years old, and despite the successes I have had in the pool, I acted in a youthful and inappropriate way, not in a manner that people have come to expect from me. For this, I am sorry. I promise my fans and the public — it will not happen again.”

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Phelps has never failed a drug test during his career and was one of several American athletes who volunteered to undergo additional testing to dispel any suggestions he might be benefiting from performance-enhancing drugs.

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His coach, Bob Bowman, said in a statement that “Michael has issued his statement. He regrets his behavior and I’m sure he’ll learn from this experience. I’m glad to have him back in training.”

The United States Olympic Committee, which last week named Phelps its Male Athlete of the Year, issued a statement saying it was “disappointed” in Phelps’ behavior.

“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. In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities. Michael has acknowledged that he made a mistake and apologized for his actions. We are confident that, going forward, Michael will consistently set the type of example we all expect from a great Olympic champion.”

This isn’t Phelps’ first public stumble. In 2004, when he was 19 and a few months removed from winning six gold medals at the Olympics in Athens, he was pulled over in Salisbury after rolling through a stop sign and charged with driving while intoxicated. Phelps publicly apologized, famously going on the Today show to ask the country for forgiveness and calling it an “isolated incident.” He agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors that sentenced him to 18 months of probation, during which he was required to refrain from using drugs and alcohol, and to speak to kids about the dangers of making bad decisions.

“I would not expect him to lose a single endorsement, or any potential endorsements,” said Marc Ganis, president of SportsCorp., a Chicago-based sports business consulting firm. “He has handled himself so well to date that he has earned the benefit of the doubt. Especially at this age, experimentation with things like marijuana for young people in their late teens and early 20s is an understandable action.”

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Phelps’ mother, Debbie, a principal at Windsor Mill Middle School, didn’t return calls from The Baltimore Sun seeking comment.