Michael Phelps avoids jail over second drink-driving charge
The 18-time gold medallist is free to focus on his preparations for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio
Olympic gold medal swimmer Michael Phelps has avoided jail time after a judge placed him on probation for pleading guilty to a drink-driving charge for the second time in 10 years. The punishment came with a warning.
"You don't need a lecture from the court," Baltimore District Judge Nathan Braverman told Phelps. "If you haven't gotten the message by now, or forget the message, the only option is jail."
If you haven't gotten the message by now, or forget the message, the only option is jail
Probation allows the most decorated Olympian ever to focus on training for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, which would be his fifth. The 29-year-old came out of a year's retirement with his sights set on Rio, and the plea is not expected to have any ill effect on those plans.
The swimmer was contrite in court, with his lawyer detailing his pursuit of sobriety since his arrest, including 45 days of inpatient treatment in Arizona. A letter from his doctor there was glowing, saying he was forthright and cooperative.
Phelps' lawyer, Steve Allen, told the judge that Phelps had already made tremendous progress, and is continuing with therapy in Maryland and has enrolled in Alcoholics Anonymous.
"Mr Phelps is a wonderful person," Allen said. "He's a gifted athlete, but he's also a person who gives back to the community. Mr Phelps gets it: he gets what he did, he gets that he has a problem. He's had nothing but remorse for his mistake."
