Phelps suspended for three months

MICHAEL Phelps has been suspended from competition for three months after photographs were published that appeared to show him smoking cannabis.

FROZEN OUT: Major sponsors Speedo are standing by Michael Phelps but USA Swimming has suspended him for three months (Getty Images)

USA Swimming said no "anti-doping rule" had been violated but it wanted to send a strong message to the fans disappointed by the 14-times Olympic champion's behaviour.

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However, he will be eligible to compete in July's World Championship trials, if he decides to defend the seven titles he won in Melbourne in 2007 at this year's event in Rome.

A statement read: "USA Swimming has reprimanded Michael Phelps under its Code of Conduct by withdrawing financial support and the eligibility to compete for a period of three months, effective February 5th 2009.

"This is not a situation where any anti-doping rule was violated but we decided to send a strong message to Michael but he disappointed so many people, particularly the hundreds of thousands of USA Swimming member kids who look up to him as a role model and a hero.

"Michael has voluntarily accepted this reprimand and has committed to earn back our trust."

Meanwhile, in a mea culpa interview with his hometown newspaper, Phelps has admitted he may retire before the London 2012 Olympics

Phelps - who could face a police investigation following the publication of pictures that showed him inhaling from a marijuana pipe - told the Baltimore Sun he was unsure of his future.

BAD PRESS: The picture, published in the News of the World, that started the controversy last weekend

And revealed how his bad judgment had left him in real trouble - with his Mum.

On his previously stated 2012 ambitions, Phelps said: 
"This is a decision of mine that I'm not going to make today and I'm not going to make tomorrow.

"It's going to require a lot of time and energy and a lot of thinking for myself - but also talking to Bob and talking to my family and just deciding what I want to do.

"Yeah, there are still goals that I have in the pool, 100 percent. But I'm not going to let anything stand in my way. If I decide to walk away, I'll decide to walk away on my own terms.

"If it's now, if it's four years, who knows. But it is something I need to think about and decide what I want to do."

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RELATED: Michael Phelps facing police investigation

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Phelps has kept a low-profile since the publication of the pictures in the News of the World last Sunday.

It's not the first time he's been in trouble - a drink driving conviction in 2004 previously blotting his copybook.

"Seeing my mom reminded me of how it was the day after I got my DUI, and I swore to myself I'd never do that again," he added.

"This is just a stupid thing of mine that I did, and I have to live with it."

When asked whether he regularly smoked marijuana, Phelps claimed he did not.

"This was stupid, and I know this won't happen again," he said.

"It's obviously bad judgment, and it's something I'm not proud of at all. I will say that with the mistakes that I've made in my life, I've learned from them. Every one of them.

"And I've become a better person. That's what I plan to do from here. It's definitely not what I wanted, and it's clearly not what my mom wanted."

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RELATED: JAMES TONEY BLOG: Phelps must rebuild from negative headlines

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