Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian of all time with 28 medals, has launched a scathing attack on USA Swimming's leadership, branding the body weak and demanding sweeping reforms after what he sees as years of organisational decline.
In a lengthy Instagram post, the 40-year-old, who retired from competitive swimming in 2016, wrote: 'I've watched too many teammates struggle to compete in a sport they love without the support they need. I've also seen the sport struggle to return its membership numbers to pre-pandemic levels, and I'm done pretending this system works just because it produces medals.'
Phelps revealed he may not want his four young sons competing in the sport given the current state of swimming in the United States. He traced his frustrations back through his career, saying he often felt his voice went unheard and was 'told to be grateful for the chance to compete' and to stay quiet to keep the peace.
Phelps clarified that his criticism is not directed at the swimmers, whom he respects, but at the system and its leadership. He volunteered to help address the issues and proposed solutions, including increased support for young swimmers and prioritising elite swimmers' needs over coaches.
Phelps is not the only US swimmer to criticise the organisation; Ryan Lochte recently posted an image of a mock funeral for USA Swimming. Phelps compared the US swim team's 33 medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics to their lowest medal haul in the pool at the Paris Games last year, where they won 28 medals, the worst since 2004.
