Shocking Swimmers and Drug‑Indicted Athletes: A Cascade of Cannabis Missteps
Joseph Schooling and Amanda Lim, Singapore’s own Olympic gold‑winner and rising swimming star, have both been slapped with warnings for smoking the green stuff. The headline lighter moment, however, won’t be the only time the water‑world has flashed a warning sign.
Beyond Schooling: The Lion City’s Not‑So‑Silent-Stick Squad
- Hanafi Akbar – A former youth national footballer who played at the 2010 Youth Olympics, got hit by law in 2015 after eating a grow‑ing roll of meth. He spent twelve months behind bars.
- Gusta Guzarishah – The midfielder who was handed a doping‑rehab sentence in 1997. A 19‑year‑old repeated system abuse and was sent straight to the treatment centre.
Back Then: Phelps’ “A‑baby” Incident
It might feel a little absurd that Michael Phelps, the American swimming legend known for his 23 gold medals, was once caught in a puff‑bang. In 2009, a snapshot of him inhaling from a marijuana pipe popped up in a gag‑laden British tabloid.
Phelps didn’t avoid a public apology: “I did something stupid and didn’t live up to the values folks have expected from me. I’m sorry, this won’t happen again.” The incident happened outside any elite meet, so the governing bodies didn’t issue a ban, even though the substance is on the FINA drug list.
Sharper Fines: The U.S. Sprint Saga
Fast-track op Sha‑Carri Richardson faced a different fate. She was disqualified from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics after a positive test for marijuana in the U.S. Trials, incurring a one‑month suspension. Although her ban expired before the Games, the U.S. Athletics committee still left her off the roster, despite her status as a medal hopeful (10.72 s).
Her setback reignited debate over banning cannabis in elite sport. Some argue that the drug’s “enhancing” effects are fuzzy and that it’s legal in many territories.
Latest Drama: Griner’s Russian Jail‑Blows
Meanwhile, Brittney Griner – the 31‑year‑old WNBA star – was sentenced to nine years in a Russian jail following a conviction for drug smuggling involving vape cartridges loaded with a sliver of cannabis oil. She claimed medical cannabis for chronic pain, but the logic wasn’t enough to spare her from the legal stick.
Key Takeaway
From Singapore to the United States and Russia, the rising trend of high‑profile athletes being tangled with cannabis shows that the sport world is navigating new legal waters—one illegal puff at a time.
